Jessica McClellan to step down as Bloomington city controller; Geoff McKim to take role in 2026

Jessica McClellan is leaving as Bloomington’s city controller, a role that will next be filled by Geoff McKim.

McClellan will not depart until later in December. McKim will be starting sometime in January.

McClellan has served as controller for the first two years of Kerry Thomson’s mayoral administration, and is leaving “to pursue a new professional opportunity,” according to a news release from Thomson’s office early Thursday afternoon.

McKim is a former Monroe County councilor, whose service on the county’s fiscal body spanned four terms, which is 16 years. McKim did not seek re-election to the council in 2024, because he had, since winning re-election in 2020, accepted a role as an employee in the federal government, and was precluded by the Hatch Act from running again. Before accepting the job with the National Park Service’s Recreation Fee Management Program, he had supported that program as a contractor for several years.

For an Indiana second-class city like Bloomington, the controller is the chief financial officer, responsible for preparing budgets, overseeing payroll and claims, and ensuring compliance with State Board of Accounts standards.

The news release quotes Thomson’s praise of McClellen: “She brought deep expertise, steady leadership, and a level of professionalism that set a high bar.” Thomson’s statement continues, “Managing the City’s finances is a complex and often invisible job, and Jessica has done it with clarity, transparency, and poise.” Thomson’s statement wraps up saying,”Bloomington is better for her service, and we are grateful for the foundation she leaves as she takes this next step in her career.”

Before accepting the appointment as city controller, McClellan served as Monroe County’s elected treasurer, a post she held since her election in 2016. When she resigned as county treasurer to take the job as city controller starting in 2024, the Democratic Party held a vacancy caucus to replace her, appointing Cathy Smith to the post.

The news release quotes Thomson’s praise of McKim like this: “[McKim] understands that every dollar we steward must advance the priorities our residents have identified. His experience in finance and his long commitment to Bloomington make him the right leader to guide us through this next chapter.”

Thomson’s statement about McKim also says, “As we continue our transition to Outcomes-Based Budgeting, Geoff brings the analytical rigor and community-minded approach this work demands.”

The outcomes that Bloomington’s city council will be prioritizing for the 2027 budget are a topic of a scheduled work session next week on Dec. 10. Responding to a B Square question, McKim said he plans to attend next week’s city council work session.

McKim currently serves as the county council’s appointee to the Monroe County capital improvement board (CIB). The CIB is the group that is overseeing the construction of the convention center expansion. McKim will have to resign from the CIB when he assumes the job of city controller. That’s because the interlocal agreement between the city and and county governments, under which the CIB operates, says that no city or county government employees can serve on the board.

McKim said he plans to attend the next regular meeting of the CIB, on Dec. 17—unless county councilors would like him to step down earlier in order to make its appointment to replace him. He said, “If they don’t need me to step down earlier, I would intend to step down at the end of the year or beginning of next year.”

A year ago, McKim was appointed by the county council to the CIB to fill the vacancy left by Greater Bloomington Chamber president and former county councilor, Eric Spoonmore, who did not seek re-appointment.

CIB president John Whikehart told The B Square that the sensibility that McKim had brought in his time of service to the CIB, which was based on his fiscal and expertise, was a commitment to sticking within budgetary constraints. Whikehart said he is confident that McKim would bring the same sensibility to city government.

Whikehart was appointed to the CIB, along with Joyce Poling, by the county commissioners, and their terms end in mid-January. There’s no term limits for CIB members, so they could be re-appointed. The other two CIB members with terms expiring in mid-January are Jay Baer and Adam Thies, who are mayoral appointments.