June 11, 2026: Kirkwood vote, Hittle exit, North Dunn stormwater, gunfire arrests, street camping policy

Civic Solver

We’re skipping the puzzle for this week.

Weather Talk

Based on the National Weather Service forecast in text and charts here’s some advice.

Thursday: Wear something that’s cool and dries fast, because it’s going to be hot, muggy and gross, after the morning rain showers. The high will be around 91F°.

Friday: Don’t put on a sweater, but it will be a little cooler on Friday than Thursday. Skies will be partly sunny with a high around 81F°.

Sign up for weather alerts: Monroe County emergency alert system

Recent articles

• Bloomington council votes 5–4 to codify permanent seasonal Kirkwood closure.  Bloomington’s city council voted 5–4 Wednesday to codify an annual Kirkwood Avenue closure from April 1 to Nov. 15 starting in 2027. Mayor Kerry Thomson now has 10 days after it's presented to her to sign or veto the measure, which drew significant public comment.
• Bloomington planning director Hittle leaving for Charlotte job.  Bloomington planning and transportation director David Hittle will leave July 10 for a deputy planning director post in Charlotte, N.C. Appointed April 1, 2024, Hittle led UDO and permitting work while at times finding himself caught in the middle of council-administration disputes.
• Bloomington transportation commission backs car-free Kirkwood ordinance, despite staff findings.  Bloomington’s Transportation Commission voted 5–1 to recommend a seasonal car-free Kirkwood ordinance, rejecting staff findings that the proposal conflicts with parts of city plans, and lacked targeted public engagement. The council is expected to decide the question Wednesday (June 10).
• Bloomington plan commission wants answers on stormwater before subdivision vote.  Bloomington’s plan commission put off action on a revised 14-lot North Dunn Street subdivision until July 13, citing unfinished CBU stormwater review. Neighbors opposed the plan over flooding, tree loss, and wetland questions.
• Bloomington police arrest two on burglary, recklessness charges after apartment gunfire.  Bloomington police arrested two men on Monday in connection with shots fired June 3 inside an apartment on West Hays Court. No injuries were reported, but officers found bullet holes in the victim’s apartment and neighboring units.
• Monroe County revises 30-day notice policy ahead of July 1 ‘street camping’ law.  Monroe County commissioners removed a 30-day notice clause from their encampment removal policy ahead of Indiana’s July 1 “street camping” law. Commissioners criticized SB 285 as criminalizing poverty, while Sheriff Ruben Marté said deputies will continue assessing things case by case.

Other Important Notes

Thanking Tim Ballard. At Monday’s (June 8) Bloomington plan commission meeting, commissioner Jillian Kinzie took the occasion to thank Tim Ballard, who resigned from the plan commission recently.

I wanted to use this opportunity to acknowledge the service from the member who has left our commission and created that vacancy, and it’s Tim Ballard. Tim was a very good colleague, and has moved on to do some other things in his life and work. It’s not a sad situation for him, but it is a sad situation for us, because I think Tim brought tremendous expertise to this commission. He had a good, deep development background, and also was really committed to community input and community service. I want to acknowledge Tim’s contribution, because I think one of the things he also valued was civic dialog, and also really doing that in a way that respected people’s input and conversation. Even when things got contentious in meetings, Tim was always level headed and offered a very informed perspective. ... So I just wanted to acknowledge Tim’s service and thank him in absentia for his contributions to the plan commission.

School board elections. Three MCCSC school board seats are up for election this year. The deadline for filing is June 18 by noon. Candidates for the seats that are up for election have to live in District 1, District 3, or District 7. Here’s a useful link: MCCSC school board districts.

Jail lawsuit finally over. Even though a filing was made by the ACLU on May 27 to dismiss the 2008 lawsuit against Monroe County over conditions of the jail, the final order of the court did not come until June 8. That now means the door is open for litigation based on current jail conditions. For B Square background, see: ACLU makes swift move to dismiss Monroe County jail lawsuit, would open door to fresh action on current conditions

On the calendar

Thursday joint city-county jail meeting. The topic of a joint government meeting for 6 p.m. on Thursday (June 11) at the historic county courthouse is a new county jail. The county council and the city council have noticed their joint meeting. County commissioner Jody Madeira and Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson have confirmed to The B Square that they will also attend.

Monroe County History Center Garage Sale: June 10–15. The Monroe County History Center’s annual Garage Sale, now in its 45th year, returns in June at 4015 Profile Parkway. The sale is the center’s biggest fundraiser, with donated antiques, household items and other goods supporting artifact preservation, exhibits and programs.

An early-access day for current MCHC members, Cook employees and Simtra employees is set for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday (June 10). Public sale days: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday (June 12–13); and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday (June 15).

4th of July Parade: June 15. The last day to file paperwork for entries for Bloomington’s Fourth of July Parade is June 15.

Lake Lemon Shoreline Sessions: June 21. Live music, lakeside vibes and Sunday relaxation are planned for Sunday, June 21, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Riddle Point Park on Lake Lemon. The lineup includes the Ben Cartha Fowler Project, Salaam, and Claire Pendreigh. Bring a chair; outside food and drink are welcome. Tickets are $22.66.

Bingo Brunch at Cardinal Spirits: June 28. It’s every Sunday 12-2 p.m. at Cardinal Spirits: Bingo Brunch with celebrity callers! You might wonder: What is the Cardinal Spirits definition of celebrity? It needs to be flexible enough to include ... me, the founder of The B Square. I plan to apply all the principles I have learned about government meeting procedures to bingo calling—in the best possible way! You have never heard letters and numbers sound so great. What kind of prizes can you win? How about a hat?

Carwash fundraiser: July 18. Is your car filthy? Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana invites the community to support the 17th Annual Crew for Kids fundraiser on Saturday, July 18, 2026, with a rain date of Saturday, July 25. For one day only, visit a participating Crew Carwash location and purchase an Ultimate or Ultimate 360 wash. Fifty percent of the cost will be donated directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters, helping join Bigs and Littles together for effective mentorship and impacting lives for the better through meaningful one-to-one relationships. Bloomington participants can visit Crew Carwash at 235 South Pete Ellis Drive or 3430 West 3rd Street.

Meet Sage!

This very, very good girl is a shepherd mix. Here’s what the shelter staff have written about Sage:

Sage is a shy dog who spent more than a week on the run before getting to the shelter. Although the noisy outdoors is pretty scary for her, give her a minute and Sage is all love and cuddles! If you're looking for a gentle and affectionate companion, Sage would love a cozy home to rest her head.

Photo Finish: ??

The Photo Finish items are drawn from the B There section of the B Square website. But there are no new B There items since Monday.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great weekend!

Dave Askins
734-645-2633
dave@bsquarebulletin.com

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