2023 Bloomington primary: Black Lives Matter B-town assesses Democratic Party candidates

Early Saturday (April 15), Black Lives Matter B-town released its assessment of Democratic Party city primary candidates who responded to a survey that included 10 questions for all candidates and two questions just for mayoral or city council candidates.

Sent the questionnaire were Democratic Party primary candidates for Bloomington mayor, city clerk and city council. The questionnaire was not sent to candidates affiliated with the Republican Party, because BLM B-town does not consider the party to be in alignment with its basic principles.

According to BLM B-town, their candidate assessments are provided to voters for informational purposes—they are not endorsements.

Candidates were given seven days to fill out the questionnaire, and were sent subsequent reminders after the survey was sent, according to BLM B-town

A total of 18 candidates wrote out answers to the questionnaire. It was designed to allow assessments of candidates in the categories of: Awareness, Position, Vision, Voices at the Table, Commitment & Effectiveness, Passion & Comportment.

Candidates are assessed on a scale ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”.

Some candidates did not respond to the questionnaire. About those candidates, BLM B-town wrote: “[C]andidates’ refusals to provide answers for this Voter’s Guide should remind us that the majority of the Bloomington political landscape is built to sustain anti-Black practices.”

BLM B-town gave candidates who did not respond to the BLM B-town questionnaire an assessment of “strongly disagree.” Continue reading “2023 Bloomington primary: Black Lives Matter B-town assesses Democratic Party candidates” →

Proposed ALM mural denied by Bloomington board of public works as conflicting with new art policy

Bloomington board of public works from left: Jennifer Lloyd, Elizabeth Karon, Kyla Cox Dexard.

From the Turning Point application to paint a street mural.

For now at least, a proposed mural that says “All Lives Matter” will not be painted on Kirkwood Avenue just west of Indiana Avenue in downtown Bloomington.

Bloomington’s three-member board of public works has unanimously denied a special events application from Turning Point USA at Indiana University, to paint such a mural on the weekend of April 7 and 8.

The denial came at the board’s regular Tuesday meeting, after about 20 minutes worth of public comment, all of it opposed to the approval of the application to paint the mural.

The public commentary in opposition was based mostly on the fact that the “All Lives Matter” slogan is associated with opposition to the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

When it came time for a vote, the board didn’t deliberate on the question.

But when the item was put in front of the board, the basis for the denial was laid out by city attorney Mike Rouker: The proposed mural is for permanent or semi-permanent art (intended to last more than seven days), and it includes “speech.”

The inclusion of “words, letters, numbers, or universally recognized symbols, or logos of any kind” for a permanent art installation put the proposed ALM mural in conflict with the city’s new policy on art installations by private entities in the public right of way.

Bloomington’s policy was adopted by the board of public works at its Dec. 20, 2022 meeting.

The board’s action to adopt a new policy was taken because Bloomington was under a federal court order to develop and promulgate rules for private entities to install art in the public right-of-way. Continue reading “Proposed ALM mural denied by Bloomington board of public works as conflicting with new art policy” →

Street mural: Bloomington attorney says application should be denied, because it contains speech

From the maintenance of traffic plan in connection with the proposed mural painting.

From the Turning Point application to paint a street mural.

It looks like the table is now being set for the next phase in a pending federal lawsuit against the city of Bloomington.

An application to paint a mural on Kirkwood Avenue with the phrase “All Lives Matter” appears on the Bloomington board of public works agenda for Tuesday, March 14.

The application for the mural was made by Turning Point USA at Indiana University.

Bloomington’s city attorney, Mike Rouker, has recommended that the application be denied, because the design includes “speech” as defined by a new city policy on such art in the public right-of-way.

Bloomington’s policy was adopted by the board of public works at its Dec. 20, ~~2023~~ 2022 meeting.

That order came in connection with a lawsuit that Turning Point and Indiana University student Kyle Reynolds filed, after being denied permission to paint their “All Lives Matter” mural in 2021. The court found that the city’s refusal in 2021 to allow Reynolds to paint his mural likely amounted to viewpoint discrimination, and issued a preliminary injunction. Continue reading “Street mural: Bloomington attorney says application should be denied, because it contains speech” →

Bloomington answers request for mural under new court-ordered art policy: No, but we have questions

The city of Bloomington has now responded to an application submitted in December by Indiana University student Kyle Reynolds for the installation of a mural on Kirkwood Avenue that says “All Lives Matter.”

Excerpt from the traffic management proposal in connection with the application that has been submitted by Kyle Reynolds for his proposed “All Lives Matter” mural.

In its response, the city has told Reynolds that such a mural, with words and letters, is not allowed as permanent art under the city’s newly adopted policy on the installation of private art in the public right-of-way.

Based on the city’s response, and the litigation backdropping the request, if Reynolds is eventually allowed to install his mural, it looks somewhat unlikely that it would be on the requested date of April 3, 2023.

It was under a court order that the city’s new policy on private art in the public right-of-way was developed.

That order came in connection with a lawsuit that Reynolds filed, after being denied permission to paint a mural in 2021. The court found that the city’s refusal in 2021 to allow Reynolds to paint his mural likely amounted to viewpoint discrimination, and issued a preliminary injunction.

Bloomington’s policy was adopted by the board of public works at its Dec. 20, 2022 meeting.

Reynolds’ proposed mural is not allowed as a permanent mural, because it contains “speech,” which is defined under the policy as “words, letters, numbers, or universally recognized symbols, or logos of any kind.” Continue reading “Bloomington answers request for mural under new court-ordered art policy: No, but we have questions” →

Activist tests right to write “vote” on Bloomington street, protests policy on art in public right-of-way

Thomas Westgård talks with Monroe County clerk Nicole Brown inside Election Central on Jan. 4, 2023.

Thomas Westgård (Jan. 4, 2023).

A Bloomington police officer gets briefed by a Monroe County sheriff’s deputy about

(Jan. 4, 2023) The word “vote” as written by Thomas Westgård on the street at 7th and Madison streets ( Jan. 4, 2023)

Thomas Westgård chats with a Monroe County sheriff’s deputy (Jan. 4, 2023).

Thomas Westgård (Jan. 4, 2023).

(Jan. 4, 2023) Thomas Westgård (Jan. 4, 2023).

Around 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Bloomington area resident Thomas Westgård started dolloping a purple compound onto the asphalt at 7th and Madison streets near Monroe County’s Election Central.

After a few minutes, the word “vote” was spelled out in purple on the pavement.

It was a coincidence that Wednesday was also the first day when candidates in Bloomington’s city elections could file their official paperwork.

For Westgård, it was the right time and day to write “vote” on the street, because a status conference was on a federal court calendar for about an hour later, for a case that involves the right of private individuals to install art in Bloomington’s public right-of-way.

In November 2022, the judge issued a preliminary injunction against Bloomington, ordering the city to establish criteria for applications by private individuals to install art in the public right of way.

The deadline for the city to set the policy was Jan. 2. Bloomington’s board of public works adopted the policy at its final meeting last year, on Dec. 20, 2022. Continue reading “Activist tests right to write “vote” on Bloomington street, protests policy on art in public right-of-way” →

Bloomington OKs policy on private art installed in public right-of-way: No speech for permanent art

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Middle Way House Wrapped in Love installation 2022: “A place of learning”

Peace symbol sculpture from Freezefest 2022

Under the policy approved by Bloomington’s board of public works at its Tuesday meeting, no public street mural with words and letters could be installed by private parties—if the mural is expected to last longer than a week.

The action by the board was time sensitive.

A federal judge has ordered that by Jan. 2, 2023, Bloomington must develop and disseminate a policy on private art installations in the public right-of-way.

The court’s order came as a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by an Indiana University student, after Bloomington said he could not install a street mural with the phrase “All Lives Matter.”

The “All Lives Matter” slogan is associated with opposition to the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

Under the court order, Bloomington has to allow the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Kyle Reynolds and the Indiana University Chapter of Turning Point USA, to apply for installation of a mural under the new policy.

Under the new policy, the previously rejected mural might be allowed, but only if it is “temporary art”—which means it would be expected to last longer than seven days.

The policy’s definition of “temporary art” was extended from five days to seven days, at the suggestion of board member Kyla Cox-Deckard at a Monday noon work session. Continue reading “Bloomington OKs policy on private art installed in public right-of-way: No speech for permanent art” →

Analysis: Ban on “speech” for private art in Bloomington public right-of-way

“Bloomington” sculpture from Freezefest 2022

Middle Way House Wrapped in Love installation 2022: “A place of learning”

Middle Way House Wrapped in Love installation 2022: “Let love bloom”

Peace symbol sculpture from Freezefest 2022

Middle Way House Wrapped in Love installation 2022: “Mitzva tree”

On Bloomington’s board of public works meeting agenda for this coming Tuesday (Dec. 20) is a new policy on installations of private art in the public right-of-way.

The policy would ban “speech”—which is defined under the policy to include letters, words, and other universally recognized symbols—for any private art installation that is expected to remain in place for longer than five days within the public right-of-way.

It was an Indiana University student’s proposed mural, with the words “All Lives Matter,” followed by Bloomington’s rejection of that mural, that led a federal judge to order the city to develop the new policy.

The preliminary injunction against Bloomington says that the city has to develop the policy and allow the student to apply for installation of his mural under the policy.

Would an “All Lives Matter” mural be in or out under the policy? What are the consequences of the policy for other local art installations? Continue reading “Analysis: Ban on “speech” for private art in Bloomington public right-of-way” →

Bloomington works to heed court’s order on art, means temporary delay on OK for Freezefest 2023

B Square file photo from Freezefest 2022

Moratorium on special events approved by Bloomington’s board of public works on Dec. 6, 2022. Link: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/download?meetingFile_id=11146#page=81

Complete mural on 6th Street looking south towards the Monroe County courthouse.

A special events application to hold the third annual Freezefest downtown in the Trades District area would have normally received a straightforward approval from Bloomington’s three-member board of public works on Tuesday night.

It’s an ice carving festival set to take place along Maker’s Way from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, and features a chili cook-off at The Mill, a coworking space located in the former dimension mill of the Showers Brothers Furniture Company.

Instead of receiving an approval, the Freezefest application was pulled from the meeting agenda.

The reason Freezefest didn’t get a vote on Tuesday is not related to any controversy related to Freezefest itself. In fact, the festival’s special event application will likely be approved at the board’s next meeting, on Dec. 20.

But for now, Freezefest falls under a moratorium on special events applications, which the board of public works imposed on Tuesday.

The moratorium is related to litigation against the city of Bloomington that arose out of a request to install an “All Lives Matter” street mural on Kirkwood Avenue, in response to the city’s three “Black Lives Matter” street murals. Continue reading “Bloomington works to heed court’s order on art, means temporary delay on OK for Freezefest 2023” →

Federal judge to Bloomington: Create criteria for public art requests in right-of-way, allow application for “All Lives Matter” street mural

BLM murals featured Screen Shot 2022-11-22 at 2.35.48 PM

Work progresses on the BLM mural. Looking south on on the street to be renamed as Eagleson Avenue.

Complete mural on 6th Street looking south towards the Monroe County courthouse.

Bloomington could see an “All Lives Matter” mural painted on a downtown city street, after previously authorizing three “Black Lives Matter” street murals.

That’s because of a ruling from a federal judge last Friday.

Under Friday’s ruling, by Jan. 2 next year, the city of Bloomington has to come up with the procedures that private groups and people can use to request approval for use of the city’s rights-of-way to display public art.

The order says that the city has to “promulgate” the application procedure to the public within 45 days of the order, dated Nov. 18, 2022. The public that is described in the order explicitly includes Indiana University student Kyle Reynolds and the Indiana University Chapter of Turning Point USA, who filed suit against Bloomington in late February.

In their lawsuit, Reynolds and Turning Point asked the Monroe County circuit court to issue an injunction requiring the city of Bloomington to allow Reynolds to paint a street mural that states “All Lives Matter” on Kirkwood Avenue in front of the Von Lee building.

The “All Lives Matter” slogan is associated with opposition to the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Continue reading “Federal judge to Bloomington: Create criteria for public art requests in right-of-way, allow application for “All Lives Matter” street mural” →

Black Lives Matter B-town releases Democratic Party candidate assessments

Last Friday (April 22) Black Lives Matter B-town released its assessment of those Democratic Party primary candidates who responded to a 12-part survey that included more than 30 individual questions.

Sent the questionnaire were Democratic Party primary candidates for the 9th District Congressional seat, area state representative seats, Monroe County circuit court judge, county sheriff, county commissioner, county councilor, and county recorder.

Sixteen total candidates wrote out answers to the questionnaire. It was designed to allow assessments of candidates in the categories of: Awareness, Position, Vision, Voices at the Table, Commitment & Effectiveness, Passion & Comportment.

Candidates were given five days to complete the questionnaire, which was sent on Friday, April 15. According to BLM B-town, the time constraint was a part of the assessment.

Several candidates did not respond to the questionnaire. BLM B-town wrote: “[C]andidates’ refusals to provide answers for this Voter’s Guide should remind us that the majority of the Bloomington political landscape is built to sustain anti-Black practices.”

Republican Party candidates were not sent the questionnaire.

Responding to a B Square question, BLM B-town core council member Jada Bee said the statement that typically accompanies the questionnaire reads: “This questionnaire only goes out to those in the Democratic, Green, Independent or Progressive party. All other party affiliations are not in alignment on basic principles with BLM B-town.” Continue reading “Black Lives Matter B-town releases Democratic Party candidate assessments” →