Monroe County councilor Kate Wiltz (Jan. 11, 2023)
Monroe County councilor, Peter Iversen.
From left: Kate Wiltz, Jennifer Crossley, and Peter Iversen (Jan. 23, 2023)
At its May 23 meeting, the Monroe County council voted unanimously to appoint three of its seven members to a committee it had already created two weeks earlier, on May 9.
The committee is supposed to dive into the question of how to pay for new facilities, to address the findings of unacceptable conditions at the current jail.
The new committee, which is called the justice finance advisory committee (JFAC), includes councilors Jennifer Crossley, Peter Iversen, and Kate Wilz.
Nicole Bolden (March 26, 2023) B Square file photo.
Sydney Zulich (May 2, 2023) B Square file photo.
Geoff McKim (Oct. 29, 2019) B Square file photo.
David Henry (May 4, 2023) B Square file photo.
The six precincts of District 6 are outlined in brown. Surrounding districts (clowise 2, 3, and 4) are shown in green red and yellow.
David Wolfe Bender (May 18, 2023) B Square file photo.
David Wolfe Bender has withdrawn as the Democratic Party’s District 6 city council nominee in Bloomington’s Nov. 7 municipal election.
Two weeks ago, on May 18, the county election board had convened a hearing on Bender’s disputed residency in District 6.
The board voted to refer the matter to Monroe County prosecutor Erika Oliphant, to consider possible felony charges, and to the Indiana attorney general Todd Rokita on the question of his eligibility as a candidate.
Since then, there has been no word on Bender’s case from either the prosecutor or the attorney general.
Given Bender’s withdrawal, the question of his eligibility is now academic.
Bender was unopposed in the primary. No Republican filed as a primary candidate.
To place a Democrat on the ballot, the party will now convene a caucus of the five sitting precinct chairs of District 6, according to Monroe County Democratic Party chair David Henry.
The date of the caucus has not yet been determined. But the deadline for filling a ballot vacancy, for either the Democrats or the Republicans, is July 3.
Randy Cassady, a member of Bloomington’s redevelopment commission, asked about the impact of TIF districts on the tax.
Former school board member Sue Wanzer asked where MCCSC would run its pre-K programs.
Maqubè Reese asked how MCCSC is preparing for the influx of a more diverse population.
David Sabbagh asked if the referendum could not be put off until 2024.
Monroe County Community School Corporation superintendent Jeff Hauswald.
On Wednesday night, MCCSC superintendent Jeff Hauswald presented the district’s case for a referendum on Nov. 7 that would add 8.5 cents to the district’s property tax rate.
Hauswald then fielded questions from meeting attendees.
Wednesday’s meeting came the day after the school board voted unanimously to pass a resolution authorizing Hauswald to consult with Monroe County auditor Cathy Smith about the calculations that would go into increasing MCCSC’s property tax rate by 8.5 cents.
A vote to put the question to the public as a referendum could come at the school board’s June meeting.
The revenue generated by the additional tax would go towards early childhood education for 3-to-5-year-old children, as well as other initiatives to make education more accessible.
The other initiatives include free instructional technology, supplies, and consumables for all students. Also made free would be Advanced Placement (AP) exams and tests that are needed for workplace certificates. The additional revenue would also cover free career education, including tuition, testing, supplies, and associated fees.
Based on the remarks and questions from the public who spoke, the dozen and half people who attended Wednesday night’s presentation were mostly friendly to the idea of the increased tax.
But former city councilmember David Sabbagh questioned the timing of the public vote. Sabbagh said he is a strong advocate of early childhood education. He told Hauswald, “I would have trouble disagreeing with anything you said.”
Sabbagh continued, “Unfortunately, we have this thing called city government that also taxes us.” He noted the Bloomington is considering an increase to trash collection fees. Sabbagh also noted that his tax bill had already increased due to the successful 18.5-cent referendum that MCCSC had put on the ballot in 2022—which passed with 68.6 percent support.
Monroe County Community School Corporation superintendent Jeff Hauswald (May 23, 2023)
Monroe County Community School Corporation board president Brandon Shurr (May 23, 2023)
No referendum to increase property taxes has yet been placed on the Nov. 7 ballot by the Monroe County Community School corporation board.
But at its Tuesday night meeting, the board voted unanimously to pass a resolution authorizing district superintendent Jeff Hauswald to consult with Monroe County auditor Cathy Smith about the calculations that would go into increasing MCCSC’s property tax rate by 8.5 cents.
A press release issued immediately following the board’s meeting says, “In the November 7th election, MCCSC expects to ask voters to approve the rate not to exceed $0.085 per $100 of assessed property value.”
The revenue generated by the additional tax would go towards early childhood education for 3-to-5-year-old children, as well as other initiatives to make education more accessible.
The other initiatives include free instructional technology, supplies, and consumables for all students. Also made free would be Advanced Placement (AP) exams and tests that are needed for workplace certificates. The additional revenue would also mean free career education, including tuition, testing, supplies, and associated fees.
Map showing the address where David Wolfe Bender registered to vote.
Sworn in at the start of the May 18, 2023 hearing are Justin Fox (left), landlord of the property where David Wolfe Bender (right) the landlord of the property (Justin Fox) where Bender says he signed a sublease .
From left: Monroe County election board members Donovan Garletts and John Fernandez. (May 18, 2023)
From left: Monroe County attorney Jeff Cockerill, election supervisor …., and deputy clerk Tressia Martin (May 18, 2023).
David Wolfe Bender addresses the Monroe County election board (May 18, 2023).
Monroe County election board from left: County clerk Nicole Browne, Donovan Garletts, and John Fernandez (May 18, 2023).
David Wolfe Bender’s name was the only one that appeared on the May 2 Democratic Party’s primary for the Bloomington city council’s District 6 seat.
So Bender is currently the party’s nominee for that council position. All other things being equal, he will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot as the party’s nominee.
But on Thursday, Monroe County’s three-member election board voted unanimously to refer two potential felony election law violations by Bender to county prosecutor Erika Oliphant. The vote came after a hearing that lasted around an hour and 20 minutes.
It was election board member John Fernandez who made the motion to refer the matter to the prosecutor, saying, “I just think we ought to, frankly, just move this process along—without any kind of prejudice one way or another.”
Fernandez added that he wanted to “go ahead and recommend this over to the prosecutor’s office so that they can make that judgment and let this young man get on with his life, if that’s the determination.”
Caption: The image links to a dynamic map. (The color coding scheme goes like this: Green=Zero violations; Yellow=At least 1 non-critical violation but no critical violations; Red=At least 1 critical violation.)
Monroe County’s health department has released the reports for inspections of food service operations that were conducted in April.
Just about one-third (24) of the 66 places that were inspected in April had no violations.
Recording at least one non-critical violation, but no critical violations were 13 establishments. Recording at least one critical violation were 29 establishments, or more than half of those that were inspected in April.
Monroe County auditor Cathy Smith adjusts the mic for Charlotte Zietlow (May 10, 2023).
Isabel Piedmont-Smith addresses the county council (May 10, 2023).
The screen in the Nat U. Hill room reflects the changes made to the JFAC resolution (May 10, 2023).
Gloria Howell addresses the Monroe County council (May 10, 2023).
County attorney Molly Turner-King (May 10, 2023).
Gloria Howell addresses the Monroe County council (May 10, 2023).
Two weeks after the idea was floated at a work session, the Monroe County council has established a new committee to focus on fiscal issues associated with the construction of a new jail.
The unanimous vote to create the justice fiscal advisory committee (JFAC)—consisting of three county councilors and 12 other ex officio members—came at the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday. The ex officio members don’t count towards the number needed for a quorum.
The word “fiscal” in the name of the new committee that has been formed by the county council reflects the fact that the council is the county’s fiscal body.
Any funding for a new jail facility would have to be approved by the seven-member county council, no matter what decisions are made by the three county commissioners about the location and size of a new jail facility.
Primary Election Day polls for May 2, 2023 have now closed in Monroe County.
The cutoff time was 6 p.m., which made for a 12-hour voting day. But anyone in line by 6 p.m. has to be allowed to cast a ballot.
Bloomington voters are electing party nominees for mayor, clerk, and nine city council seats. Ellettsville voters are electing party nominees for clerk/treasurer and town council.
Preliminary results from Bloomington and Ellettsville precincts will be published as updates to this article as they are available.
Monroe County clerk Nicole Browne wrote in her 5 p.m. emailed message: “Please do not anticipate any results before 6:30 p.m. or 7 p.m.”
Voters who joined the line just before the closing of the polls are just one reason that results can’t be reported immediately at 6 p.m..
Geography also plays a role. There’s some physical distance that has to be covered, when teams from Primary Election Day polling locations across Bloomington and Ellettsville pack up their ballots, the memory devices from the ballot scanners, and other election documentation, and turn in the whole package to Election Central. Continue reading “Alea iacta est: May 2, 2023 primary election results, served when ready”→
Election operations building at 3rd and Walnut streets (May 2, 2023).
Election operations building at 3rd and Walnut streets (May 2, 2023).
Before polls opened, inside the election operations building at 3rd and Walnut streets (May 2, 2023).
“The polls are open and all is well.”
That was the opening line from an email sent by Monroe County clerk Nicole Browne at 6:09 a.m today, Tuesday, May 2.
Bloomington voters are electing party nominees for mayor, clerk, and nine city council seats. Ellettsville voters are electing party nominees for clerk/treasurer and town council.
At 6 a.m. the election inspector for the voting location that’s set up at the elections operations building at 3rd and Walnut streets opened the door and announced the opening of the polls, as required by state election law.
No one was standing in line to vote at 6 a.m. sharp. The first voter arrived at 6:11 a.m., and asked, “Where is everybody?” before disappearing inside to cast his ballot. Four minutes later, he reappeared then drove away.
The election operations building at 3rd and Walnut streets, which is the former NAPA auto parts store, is the voting location for seven precincts: B-03, B-07, B-22, P-06, P-08, P-15, and P-31.
Indiana’s secretary of state has set up a voter portal where you can check your polling site for primary Election Day, which is May 2.
An election worker at Fairview Elementary School sets up the boundaries past which no campaigning can take place (May 1, 2023).
Voting maps on the wall at Election Central at 7th and Madison streets (May 1, 2023).
From left: Fairview Elementary School location election inspector Justin Aronson and Monroe County election board member David Henry (May 1, 2023).
Final preparations for tomorrow’s May 2 primary elections in Bloomington and Ellettsville are now pretty much complete.
Monroe County’s election board met on Monday evening at Election Central at Madison and 7th streets to field telephoned questions from the workers at the 18 polling locations, who were setting up for 12 hours of voting on Tuesday.
Making calls to inspectors at the 18 locations to confirm that all the equipment was set up were Monroe County clerk Nicole Browne, and deputy clerk Tressia Martin.
Browne is a member of the election board. Also on hand Monday evening were Democratic Party election board appointee David Henry and Republic Party appointee Donovan Garletts. Henry is also Monroe County Democratic Party chair.
Bloomington voters are electing party nominees for mayor, clerk, and nine city council seats. Ellettsville voters are electing party nominees for clerk/treasurer and town council. Preliminary results from Bloomington and Ellettsville precincts will be published as updates to this article as they are available.
