Well, we could call the meeting to order. There's some items we have to vote on. And so with that, we
do have to have a quorum. One of the things you don't have to do is for a quorum is to start the reports
from Visit Bloomington and Downtown Bloomington East. So let's go ahead and we'll get started in the
interest of time and go ahead and hear some of the items that are.
Well, I take it back. What we're going to wind up doing is follow the agenda a little bit more closely,
and we'll go from there. So we're going to review the minutes. So the minutes were emailed in the packets.
So the December 9 meeting was our last meeting. I hope folks have had a chance to review those.
Just a few minutes to look through those and see if there are any corrections or questions that came
up from the last month.
on emitting minutes. And Marsha, we had a motion to approve the minutes as submitted. Is that Mr. Second?
And second? Marsha, would you move us to a roll call, please? Aye. Yes. Kirby? Yes, ma'am. Trent? Yes.
All right, next thing on our agenda is the financial report. We'll start with the innkeeper's tax collection.
receipts are listed for 2025 and the run in 2026, the first two months. This year we are running a little
ahead of where we were in the first two months, but that does have to do a little bit with the timing
of when the business was reported. As you remember back in April the county adopted
disbursement calendar and so there were no dispersants in the month of April and so everything now is
one month back from what it might have been last year. So you're looking at what you're seeing in January
that typically match up with the December receipts and then February would match up last year with January
looking at the $111,958 that's collected in February. That should really go against the January numbers
from last year. Just to look at an apples-to-apples comparison, one reason that looking at that while
we're behind in that
Reynolds didn't report before the month, is that right? Did not come in during that month. Those are
both land in the next month's tax collection, so it will be reflected in March. Once we get to May,
our May receipts should be the same year over year. It would be much easier to read as far as what's
going on. Pacing, honestly. Until then, we get to have this little conversation every time on where we
said though, if you move to the financial reports, there's December, January and February end of the
month and we spend time on February unless there is questions in the month of December and January.
We did make our fourth quarter allocations in both of those months. You can see those reflected in both
January. Most of those were in January. As we're looking at the end of the month in February, just some
things to call out.
general fund balance is $4,753,569.02 is where the current fund balance sits. You would also notice
in the month of February that we did add a line item in general expense for the completion of the downtown
visitor center and the funding we approved.
summary in that general category up at the top. And then our capital improvement fund or carryover balance
started at $182,000 and some change to the current fund balance sits at $190,583.05 and that is for
unexpected
mostly towards buildings as this building continues to age. And then also for the other buildings which we
on the financial statement, either the innkeeper's tax collection or where a fund balance sits, the
new budget.
We have a motion and a second for the financial report to move us to a roll call vote, please. Aye.
Yes. Kirby? Frank? Yes. All right. And so now, we have the supporting team report. Mike? Would you and
your team tell us what's going on? Long awaited, you built up the suspense. I did, and we both talked,
and then I had to shut them down. Thanks, Mike.
the tax collection thing and all that is, the roller coaster that is really fascinating, or I don't
know if fascinating is even the right word, but it's interesting, that's for sure. Just to give you,
January, just talking about hotels and market-wide, the Smith Report January 2026 report shows revenue
up 6%, demand up 2% over January 2025. I don't have the February,
month or yet I won't have that until probably probably next week usually comes about middle of the month
but I get my weekly and I can go back and look at the last 28 days so I can see that February is probably
going to come in about 3% down in revenue if that's helpful to you as far as short-term rentals are
concerned I don't know what's going on I think I think probably certainly the cold weather
impacted that as we've discussed on a lot of a lot of things but January 2026 short-term rental revenue
is down 18% versus January 2025 list available listings were down 2% and February 26 I do have the February
report that was down 31% in revenue and their listings were down 6% I do think that and when I say listings are down
a few percentage points that's in January and February are always the lower one, you know, the smaller
ones. There's about somewhere between five and 600 listings available in the market. So when I say they're
down, they're down 10 units or something like that. And it probably does have to do with the weather
of those owners taking them on and off the market. But I do feel that the last few months we've seen
a little bit of decline versus 24 and 25 numbers in some of the,
units available, even with the football season, I feel like it is going to continue to start to level
out. So hopefully, because we've had this conversation, I feel there's too many in the market, and sometimes
it's just not healthy sometimes. But instead of having 1,000 units available, we would certainly be
better off with 500 and things like that. I do know that the mayor's office, it is still on their agenda to
take a closer look at the regulation of short-term rentals sometime this year. I don't know what that
means. We do know that no matter what, all of the existing ones would be grandfathered in. So we'll
keep an eye on that. I'll keep updating you with things I think I might know. Convention sales-wise,
I'm not going to, I know Tulisha's gonna give a report on the
Monroe Convention Center, the Bloomington Convention Center, stuff of what they're doing. Obviously,
our things cross over. A lot of things she talks about are generated from leads from us, but she'll
be talking about that. I'm going to tell you mostly about some bigger new leads that she may not even
know about yet, but a couple of non-Bloomington Convention Center things coming up. We're hosting the
Indiana Economic Development Association at The Graduate on April 30th and May 1.
Not a big event, it's 50 attendees, 80 room nights over two days, but it is a pretty lucrative group
to have here in the community on the Economic Development Association, so we're happy to have that.
Hoosier Energy is at the home too on June, and I'm talking about events that are happening between now
and the next time we meet, so I'm not gonna get in beyond that, but I'm not sure when we're meeting
in June, but in late June, Hoosier Energy is meeting at the home too, 70 room nights for that.
A couple of bigger leads, like I said, I'm not gonna report on. Sean has generated eight leads so far
this year. He was just at the RC, the Religious Conference Management Association in Lexington
in mid-February. Brought back a couple of smaller church-related group leads for that. But the big one
that we're working on right now is for the American College Theater Festival, region three, in January 2027.
3,000 attendees, 1,470 room nights in the first week of January. So that's a big one. And we don't know
their meeting space needs. We'll be getting with you on that. We just got that leak, but we'll talk
to them about that. I mean, that's what it's all about. That's what we want. Again, trade show wise,
we've got a full gamut of those for the year. He'll be heading out to the Connect Spring Marketplace
in Louisville. He's doing the association track, again, before we get back together.
We'll be at the Fraternity Executives Association in Louisville as well in late May, and the Indiana
Society of Association Executives in Muncie, Indiana in June. Marketing-wise, again, if you read any
of the emails that I've sent you lately, a partner e-news with, I kind of define all the marketing things
that we're doing, our most aggressive convention marketing effort ever, obviously because of the expansion
that's going on.
The Hard Hat video, just a ton of stuff we're doing with small market meetings, Midwest meetings, Inside
Indiana Business, Smart Meetings, Meeting Planner International, those types of groups. We've got a
large sponsorship with the American Society of Association Executive Conference that's happening in
Indianapolis later this summer. There's gonna be a bunch of Indiana groups working together.
We should walk away from that with some good large leads for the new center at that time. But obviously,
other stuff with, you know, there's several of them in there that were sponsorships and things that
we're working on. We will start advertising for our second convention center sales representative job
next week. And we'll go live with that, doing various places that will be advertising that. And we hope
to have that job filled early summer.
You know, the role of that person is going to be prospecting for large groups, large groups for this
building midweek when it opens and working closely with Sean and Laura and myself and on the road every
week in Indianapolis, going to other convention centers, seeing groups that they're hosting and stuff
like that. So again, it'll probably take us a few weeks to a month to fill that position and I'll certainly
be talking to the both of you before we get down to that.
decision making on that. We're keeping abreast of good candidates and things like that. Sports sales,
state basketball championships happening this weekend, 70 teams in town at Twin Lakes, 400 to 500 room
nights. We've got a seven on seven flag football at Karst in late June, 200 room nights. We were disappointed
that La Crosse America canceled their event that was scheduled for the fall due to budget cuts.
We tried to talk to them about how could we help you with that, but it was more about personnel, using
some personnel and keeping those events closer to home. But we're helping IU on 2027 Big Ten Swimming
and Diving. This is a USA weightlifting proposal. I'm happy to pass this around.
want to take a look at our proposal that we submitted them working closely with with Talisha again this
is we're talking about a thousand athletes for seven to ten days in June again in this in the new center
they were interested in it they're interested in a two-year deal 27 and 28 now now both buildings won't
be ready in 27
And so we've already been talking to them about how we'd much rather host 28 and 29. We're not sure
if they're open to that idea. But they're talking to us. They're very happy with what they're hearing
from us. We've got Team Indiana, the state grant has already OKed $40,000 for us to help produce this
event, which is great. It'll help offset some meeting space needs and things like that. So again, that's
a big one. We're going to get something from them. We're just not quite sure.
when and what size it will be. And then, just as kind of a fun thing to share, very much a long shot
possibility, but we did have a meeting this morning with Indiana University Athletics, their operations
group about hosting a Savannah Bananas baseball weekend in the summer of 2027, which, I mean, if you're all
hearing anything about that, that's a big deal. They're pretty confident they would sell out. And this
is in Memorial Stadium, so you're turning it into a baseball field. Obviously it's sick and let us do
that, things like that. They're undergoing, they're renovating the stadium in 27, not the field, but
press box, loading docks, some seats and things like that. But it's great, athletics is very much interested
in knowing more and really seriously weighing it.
And at the very least, if they're not ready to do it in 27, we could talk to them about a future year
28 or 29. I mean, there's a lot to do with artificial turf and putting in the field and how that all
weighs out. But again, it's nice to be seriously considered for that and make it the whole thing about
summer in Bloomington and trying to bring in events and things like that. So that's exciting.
He's got five or six trade shows on his schedule as well. USA Weightlifting is going out to their national
conference in June in Colorado Springs. On the leisure front, we launched the coffee trail in early
February. We're launching the burger trail next week. All of our digital marketing, social, Google,
Microsoft is running right now. We've got some print stuff as well.
We're getting ready to launch. We just produced some radio and podcast advertisements. They're awesome,
by the way. I can't wait for you to hear them. And we're going to be launching a national, well, probably
more of a Midwest five or six state podcast and radio stuff with this awareness for Bloomington as a
as a summertime travel destination, as just a travel destination in the future. A lot of it playing
off of we're a football town now and having fun with that. They're gonna be good. Just to let everybody
know to get on your calendar, Grand Balloon is hosting concerts in Switchart Park on June 20th, July
18th and August 29th. The university is investing major bucks behind this for getting national talent.
Again, trying to invest in Bloomington during the summer for students to stay here, for community members.
And we're thrilled that they're asking us to be at the table as far as recruiting visitors to be a part
of that. So we'll see how that works out. But that's all a part of Grand Balloon. There won't be a concert
on Kirkwood this summer, but they will be doing different parts of Grand Balloon throughout the community.
But it really starts here in April and runs all the way through August.
The August 29th concert is all about getting students out there for that. Our event support program,
that's where again we give destination marketing dollars to groups like the Candy Strike Classic that
was here over the weekend, Constellation Stage in Green, the Heritage Quilt Show, Hoosier Country Gym.
things like that. We funded 12 of those about $23,000 in. We're doing it in three paper in three periods
this year, all based upon when we need the visitation. So January 1 through March 31st we funded 12
events for the second period starts after graduation May 11th through August 15th up to move in. We've
already got eight approved. Jordan just talked to me about three more this morning that applied for
that for that pool of money. And then the third period is
note is right after football like whatever mid-November through December 31st. That period doesn't open
until six months prior so like in June we could start applying for those. But up to $2,000 you can apply
for. You can use $500 to help produce your events or to pay for talent or whatever you need. And $1,500
that it has to be used on destination marketing outside in that kind of area. That report to us all
the results and who came and all that type of stuff as we've as we've done
different variations of that program in the past. Travel media, our travel media program is going well.
We have had a bunch of success lately, scored a great article in Travel and Leisure Magazine
about Bloomington college town destination, Midwest living, same thing. I just shared one this morning,
Parade Magazine just ran a featured article on museums in Bloomington featuring the Eskenazi Museum of Art,
Millions of people will see that. We're really proud of that one. A ton of stuff going on. We're pitching
cooking classes. There's several places in town that offer cooking classes. The one downtown in the
kitchen is one that we're working with closely on that. Like I said, the world-class museum
scene. Bloomington on a budget is another pitch we're doing. We're getting ready to roll out pitching
Little 500.
Obviously, America 250, with the 250th anniversary this summer. I'm almost done, Mike. I do want to
point to this group, though. I think, you know what is disappointing, though? We just scored this article
featuring the Eskenazi Museum of Art, but it isn't even open next week.
they close it for spring break. So I think that attitude has to change about like, it's not about academics,
all about academics. It's about the community and tourism and visitors and shouldn't be, I'm not being
critical. I get it. That's one of the operating and there's thoughts going to that, but where this group
comes from, I think we should be talking about being open during spring break and working with us on
that. So something to keep in mind.
I did just get a meeting request from Commissioner Thomas for the next meeting for Quarry and the Uplands.
The Upland Quarry Park that the county is looking at at 69 and 46. So that's good that they're getting
ready to talk about that again. A couple things. Visitor Center as Mike talked about. Lease is signed.
Design build contract is signed. We're in the process of the design build. February March.
We're working on that. April, May, construction drawings. June, we'll finalize pricing, the building
permit, all the construction stuff, and hopefully start construction in July and be done in December.
And we could be in a new visitor center by the end of the year. Working with a company on our next strategic
plan. Our current one expired at the end of 2025, but I wanted to wait and kind of see what was going
on with the visitor center.
So we're talking about our next one. I guess we're going to call it a 26.5 through 29 strategic plan,
but you'll be involved in that process as well. We're getting ready to paint and redo all of the 14
downtown kiosks. We're going to repaint them the same green, put all new art and stuff on them, have
that stuff up and ready before graduation week. And I did get the latest economic, tourism economic
impact report.
It was for 2024, and it's hard for me to go back and think about 2024. I will say that total visitor
spend, and I know I've emailed you all about this and sent you the link to it. It's on our website.
You can find it. I'm happy to send it to you again. Total visitor spending was down a little bit in
2024 versus 2023. 2023 was the record year. We were at 509 million. It did go down to 498 for 2024.
I think that's due too.
The record here in 2023 we were still seeing a bunch of code. Revenge travel going on in 2024. Certainly
there were a few fewer visitors here. People were spending less per person per visitor and stuff like
that. But the overall tourism gross domestic product in Bloomington, which is.
you know, the direct expenditures in our industry were up versus 2023. So that's a good sign. You know,
all in all, lodging was the category that was up in 2024, while food and beverage, shopping and entertainment
were a little bit down versus 2023. I think it reflected the food and beverage tax collection. So it's
a few surprises. Yeah.
I did talk, there is a, I'm having a webinar with the company that did that on Thursday of this week
to ask some more specific questions. I mean, food and beverage obviously is collected by everybody and
the large percentage of that are locals. So this is a tour, this is a visitor economic impact. So I
think that's a part of it as well. But you know, I want to ask the question. I don't exactly know how
they measure short-term rental business because, you know,
How do they see that? I want to hear more about that because obviously ours has been exploding, but
I'm happy to answer your questions, but I have good stuff going on. In your economic impact report,
that is on visitwilliamson.com. That's on visitwilliamson.com on the impact page. I'll definitely send
you all a link to it. Send some of the partner newsletter that I sent out
I think I'd send it to you earlier and ask you a question about what you thought about getting here
and put on it. But I'll be sure to send it to this group again. That's great. Thank you very much. Any
thoughts or questions? Can I add? Oh, sure. Yes. We just came off a very successful idea in the air
school show. And then last Saturday, I can't think of the mention center staff enough for their help.
They're always wonderful to work with. And they're, anytime anything might slightly go wrong. So there's
23 members.
We're excited to see what next year brings into the space. The sky is the limit there. It's kind of
scary in a way, because we are so used to what we can do here. So I've already had conversations with
Lisa, and she's like, I've been thinking. That's awesome. I just want to thank you all. Attendance,
I think, was down a little bit, especially on Saturday, which is usually our busiest day, because it
just poured like cats and dogs.
to have a roof. Any questions for Laura or for Mike with the Bovington team? It's a fantastic lot of
stuff. Okay, lots of stuff going on here too.
Okay, well, your top sheet, well, first of all, visibility is fabulous as well. It's been fun working
on that. And all the ladies go downtown and do their shopping and go to lunch and give their umbrellas
to get to where they're going. And several of the stores mentioned that they've seen people in this
store over the weekend. So that's that value of tourism and support for the overall community. I am super
and this. These were all the ARCA funds. We are done next week with the lights upstairs. And this has
been a three-year labor of love investing in this building, which has also helped ease some of the capital
here. So this is just a list of the items that have been done. And I'm super excited about that, which
are working out well. Then Jean is out of town.
this week, but I wanted to share her report as well. 63 events in January, February, and some of those
events, the Cudger Hills Food Bank simple was here with 800 people. They sell out tickets within a couple
of days. 100 Cooks Who Care, a huge donation to different local nonprofits. We had the Indiana Environmental
Resilience Institute here, and they
love coming to Wilmington, just because we exude sustainability all over town in a variety of ways.
So they really look to Wilmington as the leader in that. But other events through extension, there are
four agricultural related events this year, which I find very interesting, the things that the farmers
are going through, the topics that they're needing to discuss now with different soybeans and tariffs.
found that interesting. It's the first time we've had that many on that topic. Council for Exception
of Children, a state conference. Kiwanis District Conference is coming up next weekend, and a behavior
conference, 300 people for two days in March. Then Petty Home is having a conference in April, and it's
going to be a regional event that they're bringing in some top speakers.
So that'll be interesting. Cook Medical, Oval Supplier Meeting, Indiana Geographic Information Council.
This group comes every year. It brings a significant number of people. IU, Early Intervention Conferences
for Children, Education, Computer Science Teachers. So IU School of Medicine, the Purdue Extension for
H3C, and so some really land reference
topic and new events this year that are new conferences. Thank you for coming to your teams on stuff.
You did a great job selling things and working with Gene. So we're excited about that calendar. And
then on the back for 27, we have events that are booked and conferences that are booked. And so events
from here, this will be closed January through June in this building. So we'll push those events over
to the new building
Some of those ones that sell out immediately are pretty excited about that. So Farm Bureau in February
in a tourism association conference is gonna be good to have them here and see the new building. And
I think the best part about this is they're doing it sight unseen. They're doing it from trust from
different staff as well as renderings and what the space is. Indiana Emergency Nurses Association
good one, I think, and the Association of Community Corrections. And you had a dental association, 600
people for four days. So I think this is a great thing. And there's something about every month. It's
like a significant conference opening next year. So what we're finding with that is some of these larger
groups, they're just kind of at next level in the conversations that we have with them.
have third party meeting planners, and so a little pushback in some of our policies that we have now.
Nothing that we haven't been able to overcome, but it's just, we can already tell there are different
conversations with sports teams, and one's a music series that's interested, and it's different using
the building different and different leads, and so that's been pretty interesting. So we've revised
some of our service
And so, but we've been able to work with everybody at this point. The other things with the expansion,
we're working with the Capital Improvement Board. They're on track for January 8th, construction being
completed. And of course, we'd have to get all our occupancy permits so that our Homeland Security personnel
needs to be on speed dial whenever it's time for those permits.
Starting to look at equipment and equipment purchases. They've got a pretty good budget for doing that.
So stages, dance floors, also IT.
Let's see, oh, we have hired a maintenance staff member, which I'm pretty excited about that. We were
going to do that the first quarter of this year, and has already proved to be invaluable, just walking
around fixing things and handling different pump up emergencies that Pat would have to deal with, or
I'd have to spend my whole day dealing with. So I'm pretty excited about that. So his name's Sean Porter.
extensive fixes ability, so that's really pretty exciting. Then, Jean's tweaking the marketing plan
some, just adding more relevant venue comparisons and really setting people up at those kind of facilities
to see what they're saying, how they're saying it, what they're offering. So she's working through that
with different sponsorships
what would make sense now that we're going to that next level and how we need to do those types of incentives
for groups to get here. We are using that, if you look from 27, if you have a certain number of overnight
loans and then 28. So I think that's been really instrumental in getting these groups here.
Other organizations to belong to and make sure you get a mortgage to someone International Life Events
Association that's planners and computers and
So we're interested in that funding and that monetization. I do have a HFI for a packet of investment.
Now that we're through these market funds. Is that one of the claims? It's not a claim, but I wanted
to get it on your radar. It'll take four months, five months to possibly get it in. But the kitchen
air conditioning unit is now officially
So it's the only unit that feeds the kitchen. And it's because it's in an odd location. It's on the
second floor.
I think that's all. Does anybody have any questions? Any questions or comments for the publisher?
that's done in operation with the sales team. Oh, yes. And we're seeing the same things and using the
same data. And so we can most effectively work in this facility. Yeah, I think Sean would agree. The
other thing, really, as we're talking about this marketing plan, is how transportation and housing between
facilities
I think if Dan Burton would drive a van from hotel to hotel and pick people up. The jam van,
the jam van. We have talked about just stuff like that. We will, I will say, we never allow it because
we wouldn't get somebody to drive.
This facility is a different scale than what we're talking about in those larger facilities. If we're
just building what we've always done, then that was a big error in building that thing. When we're talking
about larger groups, larger functions, and so the infrastructure, that also has to scale as well, too.
So as you're thinking about the market,
at least for the next few years, we've got to figure out how are the people in this community and not
just happy.
Well, and he's already wanting to get over and look at the new space and there have been questions on
the outside. So it's been nice to have contractors that have worked in this building as well to know
the answer to that question.
We've got some money to spend. So there are several things in here that are listed.
put in for the Commissioner's Bureau of Monroe County. Second quarter operating funds in the amount
of $557,333.34. So budgeted amount for the year. The question was, is this a quarter of a claim?
requested higher amount in the first quarter since we had higher bills to pay in the first quarter.
And this is the balance of the appropriated funds divided by three quarters. I got you. So that's why
the number looks less certain. Yeah. So I was looking at I'm trying to do the math
Other questions on that, I have no questions about that. Motion and a second. Marsha, would you move
us to roll call them, please? Mike? Yes. Herbie? Trent? Yes. The next claim that's before us is for
convention services for the second quarter
the DVI for a convention center management of this facility. That quarterly amount is $148,025. This
would be for the second quarter. Questions or comments? We'll get them in a second. Marsha, would you
like us to have a vote on that? Am I? Yes.
The next one that's before us is first quarter professional fees to this body for Marsha Roach in the
amount of $147.
Okay, this is a, those are all routine-ish. This one is a new claim that is for Anticipated Visitors
Center build out expenses. As I understand it, architecture needs things to get started.
This would be after $50,000. We had allocated $600,000 for the total product, and we're up to that amount.
But this first $50,000 would be to get things started in the process room. Mike, anything else?
Yes, and this is for this quarter, you know, March, April, May, June. And we just didn't get an invoice
for some builder permit fees. But I thought it was kind of low. But I mean, we're taking them as they
come. And I anticipate the next quarter and the next one will be the larger ones and watching it.
closely and and we'll have all those details for you as they as they come in. So there'll probably be
a little bit in you know bills won't come in until the end of year so there'll be some in 27 as well.
Your point and your question is it enough funds to get you through the intelligence room? Yes, I thought
I'd ask them multiple times. Okay, so you feel it's low, but they're like... It's not, we're just not
spending the money. It's planning now. It's just planning and they're not buying it. Right. Okay. Motion.
Marcia, would you move us to a roll call? Aye. Yes. Kirby?
one before us is blue and company LLC $2,000 for building corporation tax preparation. This is for the
now dissolved Bundrum County building corporation. So this should be. This is the end.
This would come from the general. Under the insurance expense, yes. The general plan. If you want to
get this over with, there will be one
OK, any other questions? Second. Yes, Harvey. So the claims we have before us today. Your business.
business item for the committee that House Bill 1210 passed the Indiana State Legislature and
the corresponding Senate bill both passed. The relevant part of that is that it allows for the appointment
of another CBC member, voting member, to join this body.
meeting, but then after that, the like of the other additional. Of course, all of the stuff that we
allocated for was all taken care of. And I'll get that. They have
They're working on the roads and just doing some upgrades to, you know, it's kind of rough to drive
back there and things like that. So just little infrastructure improvements on their own. It's about,
you know, concessions and different things like that would be one of the events. Field wise they have
what they need. Yeah, they're working right. Is there three fields on top? Is that right? Two. Two on the top.
new business. Old business items. It looks good. It feels like things are starting to. At the end of
May, they'll actually try to
room and build a little temporary block so that we can start working on connecting. And you still will
be having events here in the Great Britain. Yes. And we, yes, the capacity once the hall is in will
drop down to about 300 or 350, but that will be next year. Okay. What is it now?
This fact is set for Habitat for Humanities tonight for 550 people upstairs. So we want to get a look
at what that looks like. Now it's a good time to go look at it. I will say the properties to the south,
the places
was the idea of developing the Convention Center campus, which included the building, hotel, parking,
and really taking advantage of going to that next level in tourism. So this has been going on for at
least 16 years.
So it's very all business. It's exciting to see this go into the next step after going in circles for
years. Well, that's a pretty good segue. If there's any other items other than that, then your next
item on the agenda is public comment. I understand your public comment. Yeah. So you introduce yourself
and then let us know. Sounds good. First of all, it's really nice to hear about how you're attracting
everyone to Bloomington. So my name is Rebecca Stukes. I've lived here my whole life and I always noticed
Bloomington had a lot going on and I never knew that, you know, that all the work that went into it.
So this has been really interesting. So I'm the treasurer of the local chapter of the Bloomington Democratic
Socialists of America. We are very concerned with housing affordability for working class people and
I wanted to
since we talked about how the block was bought in 2010. How many people bought their home before the
pandemic? Yeah. So I bought my house in 2014 and I'm extremely lucky. We all know things have changed
drastically since then. If I hadn't bought a house between like then and now,
paying more than a thousand dollars more a month if I was renting. I think we got like lucky to walk
in that low price. I mean we are currently in an affordability crisis and you might have heard the bull.
Throwing that around it's serious. Something that you might want to consider is like where your workers
will live probably a lot of them are
So preserving any affordable housing that still exists still out there is I would recommend like prioritizing
that and considering changing those old plans that were made you know 16 years ago before everything
has been flipped on its head. So what I want to recommend is if I'm talking about the seminary point
apartments so it sounds like
What I learned is that it's an old building that needs repairs. One of my friends lives there and despite
being an old building it's still like extremely affordable or lower than most things in the town. So
there's a couple things I'd like ask you to consider. Sounds like it's a hassle to maintain. I would
recommend like
county transferring it to like a community land trust partner or the city. That way it can be maintained
by someone or some organization that can care about it. It can be out of your hands. The community land
trusts are a model that can guarantee permanently affordable housing and it would be like give
the opportunity for the tenants to give feedback and
participate in maintaining and governing the building. So that that's something I would recommend. Like
given the changing circumstances since it was first bought things are completely different. So my points
are like to recommend not displacing the residents and you know don't destroy that apartment block for
the hotel. Instead just transfer ownership of the
I learned today that like it the future number of beds are going to be leaving sounds like you you do
need a hotel you want it. I would consider or recommend considering like you have a lot of parking area.
Maybe changing how you build a hotel so it has parking at anything like the graduate does. I mean.
using space more efficiently. So that way it could be a win-win. Hand off that affordable apartment
housing to a different entity. Maybe get your money back from the city and then you can still have your
hotel just taking consideration of the changes. So thank you very much.
as I can say, just to address and then if you have any follow-up questions, please let us know. And
then if there are any other personal qualities that I'd also like to say, you can ask me. I appreciate
you being here. I appreciate you bringing this up. You're right. I mean, we have, I personally manage
a facility that has a lot
And oftentimes that does get in the service industry. So I don't want to speak for everybody, but I know.
expansion and the infrastructure rapidly. It is hard to acquire them because every time
It's up on where the hotel would go at this point. It's not necessarily this money that does that. The
land was purchased with the accumulation to allow for that. Or other things that would support an expanded
convince there like places to eat. Things of that nature.
intentional is never to run. It's always built with development. You presented it in your
Until next time.