Hello, and welcome to Cats Week. I'm Annaliese Poorman. The Monroe County Commissioners met on October
29th. During the County Health Department updates, Amy Garitas shared information concerning the rising
number of measles cases in Indiana. When I last updated you on October 8th, the Indiana Department of
Health reported that there had been 28 known cases of measles statewide in 2026. As of yesterday, October 28th,
That number had reached 74 known cases, nearly a third of whom have required hospitalization. Cases
have mostly been among unvaccinated individuals. I want to reassure you there have been no suspected
or confirmed measles cases in the North County this year. However, we are strongly encouraging folks
to stay up to date on vaccinations. Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious
complications, especially in young children
pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems. The most effective protection against measles
is the MMR or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The United States has maintained measles elimination
status since the year 2000 and unfortunately we are expected to lose that status this year. John Dayton
representing the GIS department demonstrated its election reporting application and voter turnout dashboard.
but we have one that's built up for a county-wide dashboard as well as a precinct level, but you can
just basically search for a race and click on something like this and the data will show up as those
votes come in, as well as the ballot measures that are on the ballot this year. And then at the precinct
level, this is more geographic, but users, if they're not aware of what their precinct are, they can
search by an address here. So I'll just type in 501 North Morton so folks can see how this works.
And we'll zoom into 501 North Morton Street to see that we are in Bloomington 20. And so if folks wanted
to search for it that way, that's kind of an easy way to do it. You can go to Bloomington 20 just by
typing in 20. It'll zoom back in again. And then you can select an office again just by searching. I'm
just gonna go straight party here.
and we can get those results showing up like that. So this is also configured for mobile view as well.
The laptop or desktop version has more bells and whistles and that's what I recommend. The commissioners
then approved an additional $35,000 for 10 more days of cleanup at the Thompson property encampment.
Richard Kreider from Building and Fleet gave an update on the process completed so far and explained
that there will need to be a future fifth phase due to difficulties in accessing the remaining sites.
Phase one was 20 days of removing personal property, dismantling structures, repairing fencing, marking
boundaries, clearing brush, creating access points and new trails to assist with cleanup process and
improving patrolling capabilities.
Phase 2 and 3 have been structured 10-day extensions to allow Bio 1 to continue working through former
encampments. Bio 1 systematically sifts through the debris at each encampment, separating and removing
hazardous materials encountered during the cleanup. The remaining debris is consolidated into large
piles, which are then loaded by machinery into dumpsters for disposal. Phase 4 is necessary to finalize
cleanup in areas that are accessible with the equipment currently in use.
A phase five will be required to address the remaining former encampments due to the location and obstacles
surrounding them. Additional planning will be necessary to determine how to best access the cleanup
in those areas. Later, Commissioner Julie Thomas discussed the Capital Improvement Board's effort to
secure funding for a host hotel project that would complement the convention center. She also addressed
the city's decision not to provide $300,000 in support.
to get this project moving. It's unfortunate that the city of Bloomington did not choose to put this
money in, but we are
as a board very interested in this project moving forward and getting complete. So this is a $300,000
offer of support on that project. And just for clarification, it seems there's still some confusion about
Food and beverage dollars and how they're supposed to be used and some members of council think that
it's only for the convention center and are actually are 10% is convention tourism.
and economic development. After approving a contract for an interim health officer, the commissioners
approved new appointments to the County Health Board, removing two existing members in the same motion.
The motion passed two to one after Commissioner Madeira questioned combining the appointments and removals.
I'm not sure how we would vote if I'm in favor of the appointments, but against the removals. Just vote no.
I think you could vote no, or you could ask us with the question. I'll just vote no. The commissioners
also voted two to one to accept a housing report that tracks housing units and development activity.
Commissioner Madeira said that the report's construction numbers do not show whether housing needs are
being met and voted against accepting the report. I don't often dissent from my colleagues, and so I
wanted to say why.
So I think the report makes a useful case for shared housing database, but it's a headline conclusion
that projected housing needs have largely been met or exceeded is not adequately supported by the comparisons
it presents. So to succeed in that objective would have to show that housing demand is satisfied. Instead,
it counts that units built and it compares them with older projects that actually can answer that question.
Exceeding targets shows that projects were surpassed, not that need was met. Need is measured by prices,
vacancy, cost burden, overcrowding and community, but the report does actually not analyze these factors.
It concedes that it does not analyze affordability, wages or housing type, which are the core questions
in shortage studies. Commissioner Thomas responded with support for the report.
what it demonstrates is that we've built more units than anyone thought we needed. I don't think we've
built the right ones. I think that's my takeaway from it. We have way too much student apartment building
units, way too many of those and not enough single family homes. I don't think anyone is going to be
able to give you vacancy numbers because nobody will share that. So I think
it's great to be aspirational and to think about what you might want, but I'm grateful to have the numbers
because when we sit in the planning commission, what we come back with is a, we question, wait, don't
we have to, don't we have single housing online ready to come into play? How many? We don't have that
information at our fingertips and
the staff is constantly going back and doing that research for us. And this is something where everybody
in the community can see what is online, what is coming, what has been suggested, what is built, and
what has certificates of occupancy, because it's not real until somebody can move in. The next Monroe
County Commissioner's meeting will be held on November 4th.
City officials gave an update on the Hopewell development on October 27th. Mayor Carrie Thompson said
construction on the new neighborhood's first homes will begin next spring. The city plans for 98 homes
at Hopewell South. While the project has faced several delays, Mayor Thompson said that the project
could help some residents stay in Bloomington. Everybody who's ever done a project of this scale knows
it won't be simple.
And this has not been simple. But I think what we have landed with is really an incredible opportunity
for our community to see what this kind of housing can live like, what a neighborhood like this can
feel like, and to welcome new people into Bloomington, and importantly, to keep some people here that
aren't otherwise
able to afford to remain here. We're hearing lots about assessed values going up and taxes going up
for folks on a fixed income. And so Hopewell anticipates responding to some of those needs. Housing
and Neighborhood Development Director, Anna Killian Hanson, described Hopewell as the city's most significant
housing opportunity in a generation. Our vision is to create a neighborhood that looks and feels like
Bloomington. Human scaled streets, welcoming front porches, a variety of types and street scapes, and
a diverse mix of residents living side by side. We wanted to create a neighborhood that prioritizes
people. That means smaller streets and lanes, more compact residential lots, and a walkable design.
We also wanted to create a variety of housing options, not just one type of home or one type of streetscape,
but a neighborhood with character variety and opportunities for people at different stages of their
life. And we challenged conventional development standards to make that vision possible.
By rethinking lot sizes, street design, and how homes fit on the land, we created the opportunity for
98 homes across 64 lots compared to just 28 lots under conventional R4 zoning. That is a significant
difference. It demonstrates what becomes possible when we rethink the way we develop housing and focus
on removing barriers rather than accepting the limitations of conventional approaches. Our goal is simple.
a neighborhood built by locals for locals, one that creates more opportunities for Bloomington residents
to find a place to call home. Residents helped name two lanes in the new neighborhood. Killian Hanson
said that she believes the names capture the spirit of what the city intends to accomplish with the
development.
One of the things that makes Hopewell South special is that we're not just building homes. We're creating
a neighborhood where people can connect with one another and feel a sense of belonging. We invited the
Bloomington community to help name the lanes by a vote, and we're excited to introduce Hartwell Lane
and Possibility Lane, the first ever in Bloomington.
I think those names capture the spirit of what we're trying to accomplish here, creating opportunities
for people to put down roots and to find a place to call home. That same people first philosophy carries
through to the design of the neighborhood. Pedestrians are prioritized with traffic calming measures,
raised crosswalks, and an interior trail that will help people move through the neighborhood safely
and comfortably. We're also designing for visitability. So 99% of the homes
here we were able to get at least one zero step entry, which is a pretty big accomplishment considering
the grade over there. If you walked, it's actually, it slopes quite a bit. City engineer Kendall Kanuki
said that the lanes are designed to keep traffic slow and to carve out space for neighbors to stop and
converse. Kind of the vision is that these are very calm, very low speed areas that weren't
traffic is very minimal, only for access. This could be areas for the neighbors to hang out, just socialize
with one another. So it's not meant to really be a road or a street. It's really a low-speed environment.
So this is another kind of unique and cool aspect of these areas.
Kenoki also described the challenges that the engineering department faces in providing step-free entrances.
He said the engineering team found a way to provide them at 65 of the property's 66 buildings. We were
able to get an accessible barrier-free entry route to that building. So there is, from some direction,
you can go in on a wheelchair. You can roll yourself right into the building. And this was something
that we were challenged to do.
I'm really proud of our team for being able to do this in all but only one building on this site.
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
pretty proud of that. 65 of the 66 buildings, barrier-free entry. So that was really cool.
Some residents expressed that they want a smaller home available in the neighborhood. The mayor said
that giving them that option could free up larger houses for other potential buyers. Part of the way
the housing market is stuck right now is that though we have mostly one and two person households looking
to purchase houses, we have a lot of those households, the one and two person households,
that are still in a house that may have three or four bedrooms. And there's nothing smaller available
for them. And so part of getting some movement is providing some stock that is available to people who
don't wanna live in quite as big a house. So people who do need a bigger house
can move there. And so we know already from talking to some folks that are interested in doing just
that, that that we will have some people downsizing to these homes. The city also wants the homes occupied
year round. Mayor Thompson said that the officials are working on ways to discourage second home purchases.
These homes are intended for people who will live and or work here full time. They are not intended
as homes for football weekend. They are not intended for somebody's second home, et cetera, et cetera.
Those restrictions are still being developed. Right now, the city is preparing the lots for construction
and details of the buying process are still being worked out.
The city says people interested in purchasing a home can join the Hopewell Contact List at bton.in
slash HPWL. On October 26th, the Monroe County Board of Health met to discuss an interim health officer
contract with Dr. Paul Broderick. Chairperson, Dr. Lisa Hanner Robinson introduced the motion. Can I
have a motion for
Approval of the contract rather approval of the interim health officer employment contract with Dr.
Broderick with between us and the Monroe County Health Department. The interim health officer contract
was approved unanimously.
The Bloomington Transportation Commission met on October 26. During staff reports, a city representative
shared the Bloomington Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization's transportation improvement
plan, explaining how the process has gone historically. I'm not familiar with a requirement as part
of this part of the process for them to come to the Transportation Commission because the projects contained
within it come to the Transportation Commission eventually. So the
There will be an opportunity to go through the plan in its sort of like piecemeal component parts When
projects are being proposed And through the moving through the conceptual phase Commissioner Steve Olin
responded asking that the Commission receive a full presentation about the plan from city staff I frankly find that
Disappointing I mean the according to the city of I know that they don't have an obligation from a state
perspective but the city certainly Has made at the charge of this Commission to Review anything having
to do with transportation and it seems like the most basic thing that we should do is have a presentation
and have the formula observation of the Commission be put in collectively and not just individual members
able to contribute and
Staff agreed to consult with the MPO about whether a presentation could be scheduled potentially at
the commission's November special meeting. Traffic engineer John Garzi gave an update on the three speed
feedback signs on Hillside and Atwater, recommending that they remain in place through the year of 2027.
The counts that we have and the research that we have on this show that they both support reducing the speed
that drivers are going at. It's also been shown that once they've been removed, that the speeds tend
to go back up. And even though the speeds have not been brought down below the speed limit, they have
been effective in lowering the speeds. And so what we're recommending is to keep all three signs and
continue to collect data until 2027. And most likely keep them, because if we were to remove them, it's
likely that the speeds would go back up.
The commission moved on to discuss adding six offset speed tables for East Rogers Road between High
Street and Spicewood Lane for traffic calming purposes. Staff said the corridor's average observed speed
was 38 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone and that six crashes in the past five years included
speed as a contributing factor.
During public comment city fire marshal Jeff you Meyer warned that the devices could potentially delay
emergency responses Also speaking with the fire department this yet this morning with the chief and
stuff. We're probably not going to use We're not going to drive around these things unless traffic is
already there We're gonna go over them We feel that would be even unsafe for going into the other lane
of traffic unless we already have to because stop vehicle or something like that, so I
Nearby resident Shelly Taylor described dangerous crossing conditions and urged action. Multiple times
a day, I hear cars, tires screeching. I hear car tires hitting the median multiple times a day. I have
witnessed accidents, car accidents at that intersection. I have witnessed
Well, I heard a horrible noise and I ran to the window and I saw a car that had hit a pedestrian sign
at that intersection and dragged the pedestrian sign all the way up the hill. I see children trying
to cross. I see them standing in the middle of the crosswalk, which is in the middle of
the road and cars just speeding by. And I guarantee you they're going faster than 38, 39 miles an hour.
I've just seen a lot of things. I've heard a lot of things with my own ears because of where I live
there. And as noted,
Speed tables are significantly less of an impact than speed humps or speed bumps. They allow for emergency
vehicles to traverse with greater ease. It's also very difficult for people to get out of the woodlands
because there's so many cars going so fast and they simply do not stop for the crosswalk. I don't even
use the crosswalk anymore because it is too dangerous.
Commissioners weighed those concerns against the potential safety benefits of reducing vehicle speeds
before passing the Proposal 6-1. The Commission then considered a proposed ordinance intended to define
and regulate micro-mobility devices and e-motos. Much of the debate revolved around speed and wattage
thresholds to distinguish classifications, along with discussion on access to trails, sidewalks, and
bike lanes
as well as signage and enforcement. Commissioner Volin expressed issues with the classification standards.
I think we have to allow micromobility on trails and sidewalks the same, somehow. I think that the definition
that we're looking for for micromobility on trails ought to also apply, like if we're talking about
passing speed, that ought to apply on sidewalks and trails the same, and we need to get to that.
Finally, I'll just say I've got a 1,000 watt scooter that doesn't go more than 17 miles an hour when
I'm on it. If my scooter is regulated as a Emoto, I cannot support this flat out. I think the power
capacity is an issue.
Rather than recommending or rejecting the draft, the commission voted six to zero to continue it to
a future regular hearing. The next regular meeting of the Bloomington Transportation Commission is December 7th.
The Bloomington City Council voted down a tax increase for emergency dispatch services during a special
meeting on October 26. The council voted 1-4, with multiple council members saying that they favored
using reserves as opposed to an income tax increase. Dispatch Director Jared Bailey said that aging
radio equipment needs replacing.
Some of our mission critical equipment that we use to communicate with the first responders out in the
field is nearing its life now. And I received a quote on that, and that alone is 2.3 million. And that's
a quote for this year. And in 2027, they are expected to see a significant jump in pricing just for
our radio equipment to be able to communicate to the field responders.
Meanwhile, council member Sydney Zulek said that while she supports emergency dispatch, she is opposed
to adding to residents' expenses. I appreciate what our dispatch does and every person who works there,
I think that we all agree that dispatch is a critical service. Even so, I won't be a part of making
people's financial decisions even more difficult. And I'm absolutely not saying no to dispatch being
fully funded. I am saying no to a tax increase.
Times are tough for many folks, and I can't in good conscience add to people's bills. However, council
member Isabel Piedmont-Smith cast the lone yes vote, arguing that reserves will be needed at some point
in the future. I think it is wise to increase our PS-lit rate in order to refund dispatch. We have reserves, but those
we will need when it's really raining and it may well be pouring on January 1st of 2029. And so we need
to save those reserves as much as we can till then. Existing funding and reserves are expected to cover
dispatch operations through 2027. The Bloomington City Council will meet again for its next regular
session on Wednesday, November 4th.
And that is all for Cats Week. Thank you for joining us. For Cats and WFHB, I'm Annalise Poorman.