Rezone for new county jail denied by Bloomington city council, with calls to include city in planning

This past Wednesday (Dec. 21), Bloomington’s city council denied a request from the county government to rezone an 87-acre parcel in the southwestern tip of the city, so that it could be used for a new county jail. That city council’s denial came on a unanimous vote. The outcome matched the recommendation from the city … Continue reading Rezone for new county jail denied by Bloomington city council, with calls to include city in planning →

Monroe County council leadership choice starts 2023 lighthearted but serious: “I’m sorry for you that you are picked to be the loser!”

Reaching Monroe County, Indiana on Tuesday was a tiny ripple from the political splash that was made when congressional Republicans took 15 rounds of voting to finally settle last Saturday on Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House. The little wavelet came in the form of county councilor Marty Hawk’s participation in Tuesday’s unanimous votes … Continue reading Monroe County council leadership choice starts 2023 lighthearted but serious: “I’m sorry for you that you are picked to be the loser!” →

Roundup: Reaction from city, county officials to inhumane Monroe County jail conditions

A week has passed since new Monroe County sheriff Ruben Marté, chief deputy Phil Parker and jail commander Kyle Gibbons, gave a presentation on the horrific conditions at the jail, which confronted them when Marté was sworn into office at the start of the year. A slide deck depicting current jail conditions was shown at … Continue reading Roundup: Reaction from city, county officials to inhumane Monroe County jail conditions →

Jail committee tries to turn page on infighting: “Talking more is always a good antidote to talking less or talking crosswise.”

This Monday marked the first meeting of Monroe County’s community justice response committee (CJRC) after the membership was revised by county commissioners—to include all three commissioners, reduce the number of judges from four to two, but not add any representatives from Bloomington city government. The previous couple of meetings had been contentious. And much of … Continue reading Jail committee tries to turn page on infighting: “Talking more is always a good antidote to talking less or talking crosswise.” →

Crossley breaks with other Monroe County officials on new jail choice

The site of a proposed new county jail was revealed at the end of July, when Monroe County commissioners gave approval of a $10-million real estate deal, for about 87 acres off Fullerton Pike in the southwest corner of Bloomington. But Monday night’s meeting of Monroe County’s community justice reform committee (CJRC) seemed to dissipate … Continue reading Crossley breaks with other Monroe County officials on new jail choice →

Monroe County jail update: Roof repairs, other building maintenance in the works

At a meeting of the community justice response committee (CJRC) 10 days ago, Monroe County sheriff Ruben Marté and his executive team presented slides showing conditions at the jail, which confronted them when Marté was sworn into office at the start of the year. A kind of counterpoint to Marté’s presentation came at the Wednesday … Continue reading Monroe County jail update: Roof repairs, other building maintenance in the works →

June 5: Monroe County’s new justice finance advisory committee set to meet

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 … Continue reading June 5: Monroe County’s new justice finance advisory committee set to meet →

Confrontation over transparency of jail architect selection shows continued rocky relations between Monroe County commissioners, sheriff’s office

At a work session held on Wednesday, Monroe County commissioners and chief sheriff’s deputy Phil Parker did not mince words when they took up the topic of transparency in connection with the selection of DLZ as the design-build firm for a new county jail. Making a recommendation for DLZ, as the best of three respondents … Continue reading Confrontation over transparency of jail architect selection shows continued rocky relations between Monroe County commissioners, sheriff’s office →

New jail finance committee created by Monroe County councilors

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 … Continue reading New jail finance committee created by Monroe County councilors →

Candid email from Monroe County sheriff presses commissioners for more urgent approach to new jail cleanup position, other issues

“Try as I may, I cannot come to grips why this low-level position, a sheriff’s office employee, is of any interest at all for the commissioners, other than to fully support it.” That’s one sentence of a 3,500-word email that Monroe County sheriff Ruben Marté addressed on Monday night to Penny Githens, president of the … Continue reading Candid email from Monroe County sheriff presses commissioners for more urgent approach to new jail cleanup position, other issues →