Well, it's the witching hour, so let's call the meeting of the Monroe County Capital Improvement Board
of April 15th, 2026 to order. Mr. Whitlatch, would you please take attendance? John Weichart? Present.
Doug Bruce? Here. Galen Cassidy? Here. Joyce Pauling? Yeah. Jim Silberstein? Here. And Jay Baker is
present, but not eligible to take part because of the remote meeting provision, but he is present remotely.
and is welcome to make any comments during comments from the public. So Jay, thank you for being here.
Item number two, approval of consent agenda. You should have received the minutes of the board meeting
of March 25th, the claims and financial report. So is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?
Second. Is there a second? Moved and seconded. Any questions or discussion about the consent agenda?
Hearing and seeing none, would you please take the roll?
John Weichard? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Galen Cassidy? Yes. Joyce Polling? Yes. Jim Silberstein? Yes. Item
number three, Treasurer's Report. Mr. Silberstein? There is no Treasurer's Report. Thank you. Well done.
Item number four, President's Report. Mine is equally as good as yours. I have nothing to report. There
were no change orders this month since our last meeting, so there is no President's Report.
So we are to item number five, construction update from Weddell and Mr. Logan Turner is with us, substituting
for Andrew Sherry. And we're going to turn it over to Mr. Turner. All right. Thank you, sir.
So as he said, I'm Logan Turner, honored to fill in Andrew's shoes today. So if you thought Andrew was
the B team, you're definitely getting the C team today, but I'll get through the invite, get through
this with you. So I told him he's drifting into my GPA. Yeah. So careful waiting for my slides there.
So I'm handling the construction update upcoming activity. So first is still progress. Second one there.
So obviously we got a lot going on out there as you can tell. It's kind of a monumental time for us
right now. Go up, I'm on the second slide. There you go. As you can tell right there in that picture,
to us that's sequence seven. So sequence seven means a lot to us. It means that we don't have a crane
on site every day anymore.
So that's a monumental time for us. That's the last steel that got set. That sequence also includes
the beam that we had the beam signing event. So that's a pretty significant area for us. That's the
back of house. That'll be the future kitchen. So that was a pretty huge milestone. With that being said,
we have 52,000 pounds of supplemental steel that's in the exhibit hall. And what that means is that's
for all the partition walls. There's a lot of coordination that goes into that and getting that in place
so we can frame walls around it.
and drywall paint, but there's a lot of steel that goes in before we can do that. So on sequence seven,
as you can tell, the detailing is going on and the decking has started as of today. So that's moving
that all get closed in. So that's a huge milestone for us. We'll go ahead to the next slab on grades.
They are progressing well. We have poured four of the five. So we kind of broke this up into five slab
pours, which I'm sure Andrew's talked about. We poured the fourth slab last week, went very well.
So then the fifth slab will be that back of house area that I just talked about. So the kitchen area,
the dock area, and we're hoping it'll be the end of April and it may fall into the beginning of May,
but we'll see how that falls. But I'm always going very well there. As far as other concrete progress,
so the south work exterior is southwest side is where we're concentrating right now. That's where the
screen wall foundations are. Those are complete, as you can see in that picture.
the walls are in progress. So if you were to actually look out there right now, that screen wall is
getting poured as we speak. We had a rebar inspection this morning and all was good and we are pouring
that wall right now. So with that, we'll move from that wall. We will then move eastward and do the
trash enclosure wall, the access ramp foundations, and those will all start here in April and end here
hopefully in May. So we'll get done on that backside of the building. As far as exterior progress,
The building envelope, the exterior brick system is going to start on the west side of Registers lot.
So that'll be CMU block and then capped with brick, which you'll see a picture here later of. We'll
continue that. Preplanning is well underway. The exterior column wraps, as you can tell, are moving
very well. We're continuing west on the north side. The north side is almost done with the column wraps.
The building canopy framing is continuing. So that's why I kind of call the eyebrow. That was on the
last side.
prior. We can get there. No other way. Is it acting up on you? So the eyebrows all the way around it
ties the roof into it. Fireproofing is ongoing on those columns. So the way that works is we'll frame
that column. We fireproof it. We have to get roughed in with any electrical plumbing or whatever might
be in that column. And then we can close it in and start wrapping it with brick. Following that will
be the curtain wall system. All the glass door front will go in. So
These pictures right here, I feel like the, it's okay. I can move on. So the top right picture, I feel
like it's a really neat picture. That right there in the center is where the limestone wall is gonna
be. It's an accent wall. There'll be glass storefront on both sides. I feel like that's a really cool
look of the north side of the building with an entrance on the east side of that wall and the west side.
I think that's a really cool picture. So then interior wise, we're still progressing with interior walls,
metal studs and masonry.
The brick columns, as I said, are moving along the north and are completed on the east. So in this picture
right here, you'll see that the brick is completed on the interior side of the building of those columns.
So what that allowed us to do was go ahead and get the fireproofing done, get it inspected. Now we are
hanging dens glass on the outside and then we'll do the same thing with brick on the outside. So here
in the very near future, you'll be able to see a finished look from the columns from the outside of
the building and they'll all be wrapped with brick and that'll be pretty cool and neat to see.
The in-wall rough-in continues, so kind of similar to the columns I was talking about earlier, and the
in-walls on the inside of the building would do the same thing. Electrical conduit, boxes, carriers
for plumbing. We'll get all that installed, get it inspected, and then we hang board on that as well.
You can kind of see here on this slide that she has pulled up, this is kind of the interior. So on the
left, there's the back of house. It's a corridor, CMU walls, and it's acting up, but it's all right.
There's the limestone wall on the top right. That's at the center of the project, glass on each side.
And then you can kind of tell how we're framing out walls in front of CMU so that you'll see drywall
and you will not see the CMU from the exhibit hall. One key note that I should have mentioned on slab
on grade four. So we got together and made a logistics plan. We left a little notch out in slab on grade
four where we can pull a pump truck in to pour the elevated decks.
So the elevated decks, we're hoping to pour those next week. So that's a monumental time as well. Then
we can start setting stuff on the second floor of the building. And then once that's done, then the
overhead rough in above ceiling will start. Exterior wise, we're going to keep going on the columns.
I mentioned the brick column wraps. Go ahead to the next. Go one more. So as you can tell here, this
is the dens glass. So then now that that's wrapped,
the bottom of that we'll get limestone and granite and once that limestone and granite is installed
then we'll build off the top of that with the brick and it'll go all the way up and then that column
will be finished and a finished look and that'll be very neat to see from the road and start to see
the building really come together. As we do that we'll continue the roof work so roof work I'd like
to tell you we're probably 50% installed on the roof right now so it's going very well we're actually
up on the high roof installing right now today
pretty much what I have. The one thing that I have to give credit to is there's a lot of people that's
made this thing go around. So these pictures are a lot of people that put a lot of hard work into it.
It's definitely not Andrew or I or Lincoln. There's been a lot of hard work and we're pretty proud where
you are. So that's what I have. Thank you. Thank you. You know, Mr. Turner, I think if Andrew's
1A, you're 1B. I wouldn't think, I wouldn't call myself the B team. You're just, you're 1B. Well done.
And I'd like to comment, Doug and I attend the construction meetings that are held every two weeks.
Jeff, Jeff participates as well as, well as J.S. Held. It's, it's remarkable to me. And I'm very grateful
for the cooperation of all, all this team we put together from Weddle Brothers, from Schmidt, from J.S. Held.
how at least nicely they play in front of us. And I just wanna thank them and congratulate them for
all the effort. So are there any questions for Mr. Turner? I'll wait. Well, seeing none, thank you very
much. Item number six is request for approval of RFP for owner provided audio visual and IT equipment,
JS Health.
So what we thought we would do is just step back a little bit here. You know, we've talked a lot and
we'll give an update soon about the furnitures, fixtures, and equipment. But we know that convention
centers are filled with audiovisual equipment and there is a whole information technology or IT backbone,
right, that helps make it all function.
And so what we thought we'd do today, what we're gonna be requesting is really just approval of the
overall procurement process. Some of that includes RFP, and some of it is just seeking proposals. But
we thought we'd start with what is in the Whittle CMC contract, just to level set a little bit.
And one, we know that we have to have an external service to the building to bring fiber to the building
so you can connect with the outside world. And so the pathway is in the project. That's already happening,
Whittle's doing that.
We also, but the actual fiber service provider is a contract.
that has to be retained. And so that is something we're going to help solicit do. The second part there
is, but we have within Weddell's contract, we're going to tie fiber between all the telecommunications
rooms within the building. And there are several. And so we tie all those with what's called a fiber
backbone. So that's in the Weddell contract. Then from those individual telecommunications rooms, we
have cabling that goes out to all the data locations, the projector locations,
any locations where wireless access points actually are wired, even though they provide you wireless
access, as well as when you think about the actual video equipment. So like we see a projector sitting
on this table, that projector for the new building is in the project already. The CIB is already under
contract for that and the installation for that in the new building. We do have the installation of
any new audio visual equipment in the existing building, but we still need to
acquire the AV equipment yet, right? So that is a piece that is owner provided. So if those are the
things that are.
you've already signed up to pay for, then that says, well, what is left? What else needs to be done?
There is an, as I said, there's an IT side of this that includes network engineering and installation
and professional service to make sure that it's configured, the equipment is configured properly. And
since Talish and her team already have a contract with ProBlue to do that, we will be seeking a proposal
from them because they are the trusted network engineer. And from a security perspective, there is a great,
certainty and having them do that. So we've been already talking to them and we expect that we'll be
bringing back a proposal to consider that for the CIB. Additionally, because of the AV equipment and
any IT equipment that we can't purchase on the CP
Some of you may remember that term that was brought up during the furniture discussion about QPA, right?
Qualified Purchase Agreement. If we can buy some equipment through that, we will, because those are
already bid through the state. If not, we will look to IMG to help us to ensure that we're
following proper bidding procedures are in line with procurement law. Ultimately then, that will bring
back to you a proposed contract award for the actual additional equipment that is needed to complete
the AV as well as the IT. I mentioned earlier that there is a, we'll need the fiber brought to the building
Smithville and Comcast are our typical two that we're going to be looking to. And then again, within
the next one to three months, we're going to be bringing back these recommendations, whether
it's professional services and or for equipment, they will all come back to you for award. But this
is our approach and we'd like to give you our approach first. Have you approved that? And then we'll
come back with awards in the coming months.
So do we want a formal approval for yours? Is that what you're asking for? Yes, please. So is there
a motion to approve the presentation as it's been made? We have a motion. Is there a second? Second.
So it's been moved and seconded. So discussion or questions about the motion? All right, so seeing and
hearing none, Mr. Whitlach? John Weichart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Galen Cassidy? Yes. Joyce Pulling?
Jim Silverstein. Yes. OK, thank you. Anything else on that, Deb? OK. Item number seven is working group
updates. And the first one is wayfinding with Schmidt. And I see a couple of things, bullets,
under there. Yep. So we are, as you guys remember, working through our construction documents process
for the wayfinding package. So there's a couple of updates. For this month, no formal approvals needed.
Last month,
Shortly after the last CIB meeting, we attended the BZA variance hearing to get our signage package
through the BZA board. There were a few variances we had to request from the signage code. Thank you,
Sarah and John, for attending in my absence and learning a lot about ROC that they didn't know already.
It's a long meeting, but maybe not as long as last night's, but it was a long one. They got through
it. We were approved with one condition to modify the
the message sign that we're replacing. So we're working through that. We do not need to take it back
to the BZA. We would just submit it as part of our signage permit process, meeting that condition. And
then the other thing is we have a meeting with the working group next week to review in very high detail
all the way finding signage we're preparing. So that'll be fun time in our office to learn and review
all the sign types, what they all say, where they go, what they look like, and that sort of thing.
And I think in fairness, I would like to mention that Sarah and I sat through probably a one hour discussion
about decorative, two hour discussion about decorative rock, which I learned more about than I've ever
known about in my life. And secondly, I do want to point out that when Eddie said we attended, Eddie's
attendance was he was texting us pictures of his vacation while we were sitting through the decorative
rock presentation. So I just want to make sure we all understand what Eddie meant by we.
Royalee. And you've touched on the meeting we have on Monday? Very good. Next item, furniture fixtures
and equipment. Anything to report, JSL? Yes, Reload Strategies was down here last Thursday having a
meeting with Talisha in regards to starting to get more detail about the various parts and pieces that
we'll be specifying.
We are starting to look at what will be priced, what will be quoted, and what will be bid. We still
have quite a bit of process to go in front of us, but this was just one of the meetings of many that
will take place over phase two. Thank you. Any questions about that?
All right, Art Installation, the Beat Advisory Group, and Galen is still chairing that group. So I'm
going to ask Galen if he'll give us an update on where we are with our finalists and what's happened
to date and what we've got coming. Sure. So we, as you all know, we started this process probably back
in September, put out a call for artists. Got 180 applicants then and narrowed it down our recommendation
committee to five in January.
And between then and last Friday, we hosted a few of them and they were working on their proposals and
we have successfully received all five proposals as of last Friday. We're compiling that data and we'll
be releasing a public outreach feedback plan on Monday that will last two weeks until May 1st.
At that time, or in between that time, our recommendation committee will also be doing interviews with all
five of the artists, including Weddle and Schmidt in those meetings as well. And then by this time next
month at our May 20th meeting, we hope to have a recommended artist and proposal to the CIB. Thank you.
Any questions for Galen?
We'll be releasing a press release and we will have that on the CIB, munrocib.com website. I assume
the city is also gonna be advertising that online survey. There'll also be some pop-up events. Those
are to be determined a little bit, but I'm still narrowing down those locations for the pop-up events.
Thank you. We have a new item number eight
in an amended agenda. And item number eight is consideration of acceptance of land transfers from city
and county and related real estate discussion and proposals. So by way of update, since our last meeting,
the Redevelopment Commission by resolution approved the transfer of parcels to the Capital Improvement
Board that include
by way of description, the south overflow parking lot, as well as the parking lot that is behind the
courtyard by Marriott. So west of the courtyard by Marriott, south of this building. So the Redevelopment
Commission has approved the transfer to us of those two parcels. I think it's more than two, but those
parcels of land. In addition, last night, the County Council completed the approval process
started by the county commissioners. The county commissioners by resolution approved the transfer to
the CIB of the West parking lot, as well as those parcels that I will simply describe as south of Smith Avenue,
to 2nd Street with the exception of a privately owned building that's on that property. So the county
commissioners approved that by resolution. Last night, the county council also approved that resolution.
So both the city and the county have advised us that they are transferring or are wanting to transfer
those parcels to us. So what we need to do today by action and by resolution is accept those transfers.
So they've been offered and we will now determine whether or not we are going to accept them.
So with that, I'm gonna turn this over to Mr. Whitlatch who can talk to us about those resolutions.
Yes, as John stated, we have two resolutions. One is accepting the property that has been identified
that the redevelopment commission of the city of Bloomington would transfer to us. And so I have prepared
a resolution,
provided that to you and it was also in our updated agenda that was published. And so we will do this
in two steps. The first step is to have a motion to accept the resolution to accept the property that
is being transferred by the Redevelopment Commission of the City of Bloomington. And so that would be
the first matter to be considered.
So we have a resolution that you have in front of you to accept the Redevelopment Commission's conveyance
of Convention Center parking lots to the Monroe County Capital Improvement Board of Managers. So if
I could have a motion and a second, and then we can have discussion if necessary. So is there a motion
to accept the conveyance of the properties? Second. That's been moved and seconded. So now the floor
is open for discussion or questions. Is there any discussion or questions?
about the conveyance of those properties. Since we asked for them, I assume there aren't any questions
about them being conveyed to us. So, Shane and Harry Nunn, if you would please take the role. John Weichart.
Yes. Doug Bruce. Yes. Galen Cassidy. Yes. Joyce Polling. Yes. Jim Silberstein. Yes. Thank you. All right,
then the second resolution to consider
is the resolution accepting the transfer of the real estate from the Monroe County Board of Commissioners.
And you also have a resolution before you on that. And if there's a motion, John can proceed forward
with that resolution. So do we have a motion to accept the conveyance of properties from the county?
So moved. Moved. Is there a second?
Okay, second. So it's been moved and seconded. Discussion, questions? Seeing, hearing none, Mr. Whitlatch?
John Weichart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yes. Galen Cassidy? Yes. Joyce Pauling? Yes. Jim Silberstein? Yes. Okay,
thank you. So we have now formally accepted the conveyance of those properties as offered by
the Redevelopment Commission and by the county. The second part of the agenda item is related real estate
discussion.
Our mission is clearly defined by both statute, county ordinance, and interlocal agreement is fourfold.
Expand the convention center, renovate the current building, select a hotelier and a site for a host
hotel, and address parking issues related to our expansion project. We're obviously well underway with
the expansion and plans for renovation, and the transfer from the RDC and the county parking lot secures
that into the future.
There is now an opportunity presented by the transfer of the further south properties by the county
to identify what land we own for hotel development. We've all recognized for two years now that it is
a north site, the College Square site that is the best fit for the hotel site. Negotiations between
the hotel developer, we selected in the city ended in December 2025 after 14 months of discussion. But
now with the transfer of land from the county,
the CIB is for the first time in a position to make its own offer on the College Square site.
In May of 2024, in response to the CIB's request to the City to identify property available for the
Convention Center project, Margie Rice Corporation Council wrote about the site to the North, and I
quote from her letter, negotiations will be required for the purchase or acquisition of the RDC-owned
parcels to the North
if those parcels are determined to be integral to the project. The city will expect to be paid or reimbursed
in some amount for the real property to the north of the existing convention center. We are now in a
position for the first time to request those negotiations because we now have something to offer in
exchange. That being the case, I am requesting a motion from the board to permit me to communicate with
the president of the Redevelopment Commission
that we are requesting negotiations for the CIB acquisition of the College Square site. We are also
requesting that if the RDC is preparing a public offering of the site, that they postpone that offering
for a period of 30 days or until our May 20th CIB meeting for the purpose of those negotiations for
the CIB to obtain the site for a host hotel. The site has been undeveloped since 2019,
seven years now, and we are asking for 30 days to discuss its future. So what I'm asking for is a motion
that you authorize me to communicate with Deborah Meyerson, the president of the Redevelopment Commission,
a request for formal negotiations for acquisition of the College Square site, and secondly, to delay
in any public offering for 30 days or no later than May 20th for us to complete those negotiations.
So that's what I'm asking if we would have a motion for, and I would see if we have one. Still moved.
So it's been moved? Second. It's been moved and seconded. So I would open it up for discussion or questions
about the motion to enter into negotiations to acquire the College Square site. Any questions or discussion?
Seeing none, would you please take the roll?
John Weichart? Yes. Doug Bruce? Yeah. Galen Cassidy? Yes. Joyce Pauling? Yeah. Jim Silberstein? Yeah.
Okay, thank you. I will communicate that request immediately following this meeting. So thank you very
much. Item number nine, old business says land transfers update, but that was before we amended, so
we've already taken care of that. So moving to item number 10, new business. Is there any new business
to be brought before the board?
Seeing none, next item, old business. Is there any old business to be brought before the board? I guess
I got them out of order, old business and new business. Also seeing none, item number 11, comments from
board members. Are there any additional comments from board members? Seeing none, item number 12, comments
from the public. Are there any comments from the public? Yes.
Sidney Zulek, please, Sidney, if you'd go to the microphone where so we can make sure you're recorded
and properly heard. Hi, thank you. Sidney Zulek, Bloomington City Council District 6 and Vice President
of the City Council. I just want to take the time to thank you all for all the hard work that you've
done on this and say that it is not necessarily up to me, but I am very supportive of your efforts to
enter into negotiations with the city for the College Square property. And I just wanted to come on
record and say that so.
Thank you very much for all of your work, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.
Thank you very much. Any other comments from the public? Both in person or online? Anyone asking to
be recognized online? No? All right, seeing no other requests for comments from the public. Item 13.
Next board meeting is May 20th, 2026 at 3 p.m. And item 14, you don't have to go home, but you can't
stay here. We are now adjourned. Thank you very much.