- to call to order this work session of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners. We're going to add an
- item at the end regarding the SUDAC budget, so just for reference for folks. And in the interim, while
- I'm waiting for this to load, let's hear from the Parks Department, Ms. Whitmer, about nature preserve.
- Well, I want to talk to you before we really start going down this path to see if this is the path you
- want to travel. I think you will. We've been working very closely with US Fish and Wildlife Service.
- And they don't use the word grant. They said it's not a grant. It's just money or programs. However
- you want to look at it. And we want to plant trees. We want to plant prairies.
- We're going to be responsible for some money. They're going to be responsible for most of the money.
- And when I wrote this, this was Tuesday of this week, they called me late last night and said, Hey,
- we might have another $50,000 for you. Okay, that will require our staff to rearrange and we'd have
- to rearrange our priorities. But this is a one in lifetime opportunity. This 50 is just because
- of their financial year is closing down and they're trying to gather money and looking at shovel-ready
- projects, which, hey, we're the most shovel-ready project there is, plus they think this is once in
- a lifetime opportunity for Monroe County with this particular piece of property. So in the end, I'll
- keep this short, and this is fast math because we have to do all the math and we're gonna get this done
- this week, bring it back to you with contracts.
- It could be 75 acres of trees. It could be 15 acres of prairie. It could be the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
- pays $66,000. It could be we pay only $19,000 with our park labor. They actually might bring in some
- of their labor to help us because this is not what we were planning on Tuesday. This is Wednesday. Now,
- this is Thursday. This is all great news for the Nature Preserve because we are always planning to put
- more trees in, always planning to put prairies in.
- We just have to figure out how to manage it and how to maintain it with also the funds from the trust.
- And that's going to have to hire people to we all realize that we just have to move faster and different
- now. But we want to make sure this is the path that you all think is good for the nature preserve. I
- like the word path. Yes. This is brilliant.
- It's brilliant and cannot thank you enough for being so creative in thinking about this. And I know
- there's been a lot of discussion about what goes where, when, and how, and you've got that sort of mapped
- out in a big way, right? And to me, this is just such a great opportunity and rarely does news about
- funding get better over time. So glom onto it.
- I'm on board. I'm on board personally. Do you have questions or comments? No, I'm definitely on board.
- This is awesome. Thank you. OK. And County Legal is also going to put an exhibit to any agreements that
- we make with US Fish and Wildlife to talk about the Huntington Trust and recreational purposes. So they're
- aware of where we are in the world and where they're in the world. And everything we're doing is also
- getting proofread, as I said, or by the Indiana State Biologist.
- So we have the U.S. biologists, the state biologists, all free, helping us out. And Monroe County Soil
- and Water has been instrumental in bringing everyone together. And I have to say, you moving them into
- the showers building has been very advantageous for us being physically close. So I can find them every
- day. And I've heard the same from Stormwater and I've heard the same from them about Stormwater and
- parks and planning and
- It's huge. I mean, it's just, I'm so glad it worked out. I'm so grateful. It is good. And like I said,
- we are also working with pheasants and quail forever in the Turkey Federation. Purdue University has
- helped us out. Monroe Lake Watershed Group has been involved immensely in stormwater. Oh, Erica was
- there. So everyone's pitching in for free.
- We probably have the best minds in the entire state here figuring out what we should do, when we should
- do it, and how we should do it. So I'm getting a lot of calls from the neighbors and whatnot. And I
- keep promising them. I said, we have the best advice. It's going to be absolutely gorgeous. It's going
- to take a few years. Everyone set tight. I may have to move priorities around to stay within my budget.
- Everyone just hold on. It'll get done.
- I think it's just fabulous and I welcome the opportunity to review a contract about this. And I mean,
- because I know, for example, Martha Miller at Soil and Water Conservation District is a big, huge fan
- of the prairie grasses and the prairie growth, the flowers and their pollinators. I mean, it's just,
- you do have the best experience and minds working on this, including your own. I know you wouldn't say
- that, but I will.
- you understand parks, you understand the community in a way that a state biologist might not too. So
- I appreciate that. Oh, and another thing is we've also be coming with a contract with we have a farmer
- that is working with the trust, but we also need to work with this farmer to plant beans to leave, not
- to harvest. County legal has looked this over and everything is OK because this helps prepare our prairies
- and our trees and
- to make sure all the animals have enough food. So you'll be seeing that contract come through and you
- go, why are we doing this? It's all part of the environmental plan. I appreciate you're able to spin
- so many plates at one time and get such a great result. No other questions? Good. Yeah. All right. We'll
- keep going. You'll see them. Thank you. That's really good news. I'm excited. Absolutely. All right.
- And be sure to take a lot of before pictures.
- you know, like drone shots or whatever, because it's going to look really different. It's going to be
- beautiful. Yeah. All right. Next resolution 2026-10B. Would you go ahead and make a motion to approve?
- I would like to approve resolution 2026-10B, amendment regarding transfer property to the Monroe County
- Capital Improvement Board. Second.
- Yes. And, uh, Jeff Cockerill, Monroe County legal department, uh, at the last meeting you approved the
- resolution 10. Um, this is 10 B we did at that meeting. We did, we had a request to meet with my sister's
- closet and the capital improvement board. I will say that did occur. And what I'm about to say is an
- outcome of, of, you know, kind of the discussion that we had, what I had with the capital improvement
- board. Um, they were asking about,
- really two things and one of them made it into this and apparently I did not forward the most up-to-date
- version when I sent this in so I'll tell you about that but there were two things one was what it references
- sort of our historic properties historic districts and things like that working with John Baten talking
- to him that's not that's that's not clear that these properties have that kind of historic designation
- so we're taking that out of the resolution
- in a day if it does, it does, right? But it certainly is not clear to be right now. And then the second
- is there was an inconsistency with the potential to transfer that day. The whereas clauses says when
- the justice center is complete, the actual language in the ordinance said after the November election,
- kind of want to make that both read after the justice center is complete.
- just internally consistent with the documents, I will say that the CIV would rather work out an arrangement
- with the with the board of commissioners and the county to get that transferred earlier and preserve
- that kind of preserve the parking needs that the county would have through a contract or something like
- that, as opposed to delaying the transfer. But that but this would allow that to happen as well.
- So I mean, it says you may withhold it. It doesn't say you have to. Right.
- Was there something about your conversation with? Oh, I mean, it was an initial conversation. I think
- it was clear that the C.I.B. had the C.I.B. didn't have the full board there. They have. They really
- and it was clear that the leadership at that meeting hadn't talked with the rest of the members. And
- so they were just it was kind of fact finding. I think it went really well. I actually between meetings
- was talking to
- our building commissioner, because there are some questions about timing and timelines that came out
- of that meeting. I think I talked with some other local landlords in the downtown area, including,
- you know, what do we have as far as some kind of interim use for a couple months? So there's some moving
- parts there, but it was a good, I guess we delineated the needs very well, the needs of the my sister's
- closets and kind of where the CID is.
- in terms of their process. So we're trying to work and see how those will all get together. I think
- everybody left the meeting fairly positive, but knowing that there weren't any decisions made and there's
- a lot of work to have. Sure. And of course, yeah, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that we'll
- do what we can. If there's anything we can do as a county to help provide a temporary space or storage
- or something, if that's what they need, we'll figure it out. I mean, it's such a great organization, but
- But really the fact that they we gave them a reduction in rents and then it's it's we've been as as
- kind and generous as we could be to help them get into their new location, which is also going to be
- very exciting. But and then on the historic side, this doesn't preclude the city of Bloomington from
- a historic investigation into the buildings, but it doesn't require it because this isn't necessarily
- a historic district.
- Correct. Taking that out doesn't change any processes that are available to anybody. It's just not having
- the conclusion that hasn't been made yet included in the document. Got it. Thank you. Thank you for
- that. All right. Do you have any comments or questions? Yes, I'd really hate to see any interruption
- in services for those who use my sister's closet. That really is such an integral service for the community.
- And I echo you and we'll do everything we can. And I'm glad that we don't have to bind the CIB's hands.
- I do hope that the city will investigate any avenue it can, particularly for housing. Yeah, that was
- our big concern, really. Absolutely. And our hands are tied.
- because we are not a housing authority. And of course, we don't have those powers, but I'd like to see
- that outcome very much. So thank you. That may be what the CIB does. But it may not be. But at least
- we put it out there that that's our interest and that is our concern. Yes. And again, I think they have
- to transfer that to the city to really effectuate that purpose. Right. Right. CIB cannot do that. Correct.
- Thank you. All right. Let's see if there's any public comment on this. I have you raise your hand teams
- or come to the podium. And we don't have to ratify this since it's an amendment. I think you're fine.
- It's really more of a covering up for the attorney's mistake. Covering your attorney.
- All right, seeing none. All those in favor of resolution 2026-10B signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion
- carries to zero. Thank you for bringing that to us. Next we have a planning presentation. Mr. Smith,
- are you? Oh, there he is.
- Okay, hello, good morning. Oh, you are muted. There you go. Okay, can you hear me now. Okay, perfect.
- All right. Good morning commissioners TSD, if you could promote me so I could share my screen.
- the commissioners see the screen okay we sure can thank you okay um good morning commissioners the request
- before you is an outline plan amendment the second one to be exact which pertains to the highlands pud
- specifically for parcel e also known as links edge subdivision or perhaps more commonly known as the
- wick apartments
- And this is a fairly long report, so I will be jumping around just a bit here. The site is located off
- of South Rockport Road in Perry Township, with the inner streets being South Lincoln Street and South
- Rangeview Circle. Going to jump around again here. So the image on the screen gives you a better layout
- of what it is that you are
- Voting on, so for this purpose of the outline plan amendment south range view circle is the street before
- you that you will be voting on whether to grant the petitioners request to make range view a private
- road. Should the commissioners vote to deny the petitioners request range view circle would stay as
- a planned public road required to meet all public road improvements.
- And I'm going to jump around again here to provide a little background on this petition. I did want
- to note that this subdivision is part of the Highlands PUD, which is a PUD that was originally approved
- under the city of Bloomington planning jurisdiction in 1996 under ordinance 96-05.
- In 2018, the developer did receive approval for the current subdivision and development plan with a
- revision to the outline plan having been approved by the Monroe County Board of Commissioners to have
- a reduced front setback from 25 to 15 feet. It was during this time that the developer preferred to
- have Rangeview Circle become a private road versus a public road. However, when this was presented to
- the plan commission,
- There were concerns that were raised over the course of that process about placing an economic burden
- on the future presidents of that subdivision to pay to maintain the roadway should the developer opt
- to sell that property either to an HOA or another private entity. As such, the intent to make Rangeview
- Circle a private road never made it into the final outline plan.
- and therefore the road was approved to become a public road, which the developer did agree to at that
- time. The planning commission forwarded a positive recommendation seven to one to the county commissioners
- on October 18th, 2018. And the county commissioners approved that outline plan amendment to reduce the
- front setback from 25 to 15 feet on December 5th, 2018. And that was under ordinance 28
- 18-34. The current petition request first began in 2023. However, the petition was withdrawn for reasons
- unknown to planning. It wasn't until November of 2025 that the petitioner came back to planning to restart
- this request. And that is the request that is before you today.
- This petition did receive extensive review and discussion over the past few months, going to ordinance
- review committee on December 8th, 2025, the planning commission administrative meeting on February 3rd,
- 2026, and the preliminary planning commission regular session on February 17th, 2026. And I will jump
- around here again.
- Because the petitioner's request of waiver of final hearing was denied, this petition was heard again
- at the Plan Commission administrative meeting on March 3rd, 2026, and the Plan Commission regular session,
- also known as its final hearing, on March 17th, 2026. So during the Plan Commission meetings, there
- were extensive and spirited discussions regarding the construction and intent of this development.
- including a number of deficiencies that are currently an issue with this development. Much of this discussion
- ultimately led staff to create a visual aid to help illustrate what exactly these deficiencies are and
- where they are located. So the deficiencies on your screen are taken directly from the Highway Department's
- inspection
- were they noted deficiencies that needed to be corrected before they would accept Rangeview Circle into
- the county road inventory. Planning did sit down with the petitioner and the petitioner's engineer,
- petitioner's engineer being Daniel Butler with Bynum Vanyo to see what or if any public improvements
- they were willing to make as part of their request to make Rangeview a private road. And you'll see
- the items on the screen
- In red being improvements the petitioner is unwilling to make. And then the improvements in green being
- that the public improvements the petitioner is willing to make as part of their request. And you'll
- see on the screen I have made a
- planning map here, just identifying the areas of concern, the deficiencies specifically that the petitioner
- is unwilling to make. So I have identified what those deficiencies are and then its approximate location
- on this aerial view. You'll note that many of these deficiencies range from cracked sidewalks, parking stripes,
- We've got a six foot ADA sidewalk requirement. We have cross slope issues. And we also have private
- signs that are within the right of way. So a number of different issues that are noted in the packet,
- but certainly issues that the highway department would like to see corrected. But ultimately the petitioner
- is requesting that Reggie would become a private road
- So they are opting to not do these improvements. I'm going to jump around here. I did want to state
- that planning's original recommendation to the plan commission was to forward a positive recommendation
- to the county commissioners with four conditions of approval.
- much of this is based on the Highway Department's stance that they would not be able to accept Rangeview
- Circle in its current state. And you'll see on the screen the letter that was provided by the Highway
- Director, Lisa Ridge, her letter to the Plan Commission dated March 10th, 2026, and that's what I have
- up here on the screen. She noted
- the highway department's position as well as a number of their concerns that they had with this site.
- However, the first condition of approval that planning had recommended was that the petitioner work
- to get South Wiccan Street accepted into the county inventory by the Planning Commission meeting on
- March 17, 2026. To planning staff's knowledge, this has not occurred.
- So at that March 17th meeting, Planning had recommended continuing the petition to the next meeting
- in hopes that the petitioner would work with the Highway Department on getting South Lincoln Street
- accepted into the County Road Inventory, which the petitioner did agree to finish all final
- public improvements to get that accepted by the Highway Department. Ultimately, the Planning Commission
- did vote to vote a negative recommendation to the county commissioners by a vote of five to two. And
- this is a pretty lengthy report, but I am happy to take any questions that the commissioners may have.
- I believe the planning director is also online in case there are any questions that she might be able
- to answer as well. And I will take any questions. All right, do you have any
- Any comments or questions? No, thank you. I think I understand the issues. I don't have any questions
- beyond what I posed at the planning commission meeting on this item. I don't think we need to hear from the
- representative. We have questions for them. I think we'll just put it on our agenda. So Mr. Smith, thank
- you for the clear presentation. It is a lot. There's a lot going on here. And I'd like to check in with
- our third commissioner and
- send some dates to you to put this on our agenda, if that's okay with you. Absolutely. That's fine.
- I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Okay. Yeah. All right. Thank you very much. Appreciate your time.
- All right. We have one more added item on our agenda. Is it you Ms. Turner King presenting the SUDAC
- It was two T's budget. Did it cost more for the extra T? Sorry. All right. So the Substance Use Disorder
- Awareness Commission, SUDAC, met yesterday and discussed the upcoming summit, which is scheduled for
- September 1st and 2nd of this year at the Bloomington Convention Center. And one item they discussed
- was the budget for the summit.
- And that's what's before you today for approval. So I have provided a copy of the budget to
- the commissioners. The budget results in an ending balance of $7,147.71 in the SUDAC fund, which would
- make funds available for future SUDAC events like Paint the Town Purple or the next year's summit. I
- would note that yesterday it was discussed during the SUDAC meeting that the speaker line
- in the budget will likely increase as speakers are confirmed and they communicate their fees but even
- with the anticipated increase it will result in a positive balance in that fund. So SUDAC approved this
- yesterday and I provided a copy of the resolution that was passed approving the budget or recommending
- the budget to the commissioners and so that's what is before you for approval today. Great.
- Thank you so much. So Commissioner Madeira, anything you want to add to this? No, I think that this
- is going to be a tremendous event. I think this budget looks exceedingly balanced and I think we're
- ready to go. Excellent. Now I appreciate the Substance Use Disorder Awareness Commission and their work.
- And yes, I do think it's going to be a great event. So we should take a vote on this. Yes, Mr. Cockrell,
- and would we need to ratify it next week?
- You can just vote on this. I mean, this is a budget. So any contracts associated with the budget will
- still have to still see it. Got it. All right. Would you make a motion, please? Yes, I would like to
- move to approve the budget for the 2026 Sudak Recovery Summit. I will second that. Let's see if there's
- any public comment on this. Teams come to the podium.
- none all those in favor of approving the recommended budget from Sudak for the recovery summit signify
- by saying aye aye motion carries to zero thank you there's actually one more Sudak item and that's an
- amendment to the tall cop says stop contract with the commissioners approved on March 12th after that
- contract was approved they were
- The option, it was, there was an option discussed, and that tall cop could provide a report after his
- presentation and Sudak would like to get that written report and there's a $500 fee for that report.
- So, it increases the contract amount by $500.
- says stop organization, submitted an invoice that includes that amount. SUDAC talked about it yesterday.
- They would like to amend the contract to include that $500. Wow. Can I talk about that a little bit
- more? That sounds like a lot. This is a report where this particular individual will come and basically
- do a report dedicated to our local circumstances.
- Uh, the student team thinks that that would provide very valuable information as an outside professional.
- Yes. Not embroiled in the community, not from the community looking at it with fresh eyes, somebody
- who's a professional. I got it. Thank you. Okay. So this would be, um, I'm going to go ahead and move
- to approve the amended, um, a Chad professional training. Is that correct? Yes. Yes.
- Um, with the amended total of $3,275. Yes. That is not the full total for clarity. That is the total
- of the invoice because, um, Mr. Tall Cop, um, we get that's the total amount is broken into two amounts
- and that is the amount to secure the date. And so that means that the total, um, contract was originally
- $12,600 and then you had 500.
- Okay, so 13 one. Yes. Okay. So I'm going to amend my motion to accept the full contract for $13,100
- to amend it. Yes. I second that. I will second that. Thank you. Yes is good, but I need a second.
- All right. Let's see if there's any public comment on this item.
- Seeing none, all those in favor of approving the amended contract with JCHED professional training,
- signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries, 2-0. Thank you. Thanks. All right. With that, we are adjourned.
- Thanks again, Katz. Thanks again, TSD. Thanks.