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Dave Askins

Dave Askins

Bloomington, Indiana

Dave Askins is editor and publisher of The B Square Bulletin. A Hoosier native with a background in math and linguistics, he previously co-founded the Ann Arbor Chronicle with his wife, Mary Morgan.

Consultant: Bloomington mayor’s office should add top-level position, give better briefings to city council

Consultant: Bloomington mayor’s office should add top-level position, give better briefings to city council

In response to a records request filed by The B Square, the city of Bloomington has released a 32-page report by the Novak Consulting Group that analyzes the organizational structure of the mayor’s office. The report was completed and delivered to the city almost a year ago, in

No decisions yet on Johnson’s Creamery smokestack

No decisions yet on Johnson’s Creamery smokestack

[This article focuses on the procedural issues that have led to the current state of affairs. Namely, neither the Bloomington city council nor the historic preservation commission has taken action, yet.] If things had unfolded differently on Wednesday, the Bloomington city council could have enacted a historic district for the

Monroe County, Bloomington opt back in for opioid lawsuit settlement, look to net $4.6M so far

Monroe County, Bloomington opt back in for opioid lawsuit settlement, look to net $4.6M so far

On Wednesday, Monroe County government and the city of Bloomington both opted back in to the state of Indiana’s process for allocation of settlement money from a class action lawsuit. After deducting 8.7 percent in attorney fees, in the initial round of payouts, the two local governments look

Private, unarmed security for farmers market this year OK’d by Bloomington parks board

Private, unarmed security for farmers market this year OK’d by Bloomington parks board

Two unarmed officers from Marshall Security, a private firm, will be providing security for Bloomington’s farmers market starting with opening day on April 2. That’s the result of action taken by Bloomington’s board of park commissioners at its regular Tuesday meeting. The board approved a $8,050

Future of Johnson’s Creamery smokestack height to be decided by historic preservation commission, Bloomington city council

Future of Johnson’s Creamery smokestack height to be decided by historic preservation commission, Bloomington city council

As soon as this Thursday (March 24), the future of the iconic Johnson’s Creamery smokestack, just across the B-Line Trail west of city hall, could be settled. That’s when Bloomington’s historic preservation commission (HPC) is scheduled to meet and act on a request from the owner

Opinion: Bloomington’s plan commission violated Indiana’s Open Door Law, so I filed a lawsuit

Opinion: Bloomington’s plan commission violated Indiana’s Open Door Law, so I filed a lawsuit

The B Square’s report on the plan commission’s meeting last week was headlined with a question: Did Bloomington plan commission meeting follow state law on electronic meetings? After talking to a half dozen different experts on Indiana’s Open Door Law, I think the answer to the headline’

Bloomington OKs $400K for engineering, design of planned new technology center

Bloomington OKs $400K for engineering, design of planned new technology center

At its regular meeting on Monday, Bloomington’s five-member redevelopment commission approved a $403,082 contract with Axis Architecture for engineering services and design of the planned new technology in the Trades District. The technology center is a joint project of the city’s economic and sustainable development (ESD)