Political notebook: 2 decades later, a déjà vu for Dems at District 5 city council vacancy caucus

Rollo named to replace Willsey - Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) - January 28, 2003 - page 1 January 28, 2003 | Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) | Sarah Morin Herald-Times Staff Writer With party chairman Frank McCloskey casting the tie-breaking vote, David Rollo emerged from Monday's Democratic caucus as the new Bloomington City Council member. Rollo, Jim Sherman and Buff Brown were caucus candidates to fill the District 4 seat, which became empty when former council member Jeffrey Willsey resigned. Rollo, a research associate with Indiana University's biology department, was sworn in Monday and will attend next week's council meeting as a council member. It took three votes and two tries. In 1996, Rollo filed for an at-large seat when Iris Kiesling resigned to run for a county commissioners seat. And at Monday's caucus, the eight precinct committee members from District 4 cast three separate secret votes. The first tally brought one vote to Brown, four to Rollo and three to Sherman. The next two tallies were split 4-4 between Sherman and Rollo, so McCloskey announced Rollo as his pick. Rollo said he would "work to ensure social services are well-funded." Rollo has served on the city's environmental commission for eight years. He said he worked on the city's new growth plan and has pushed for greenspace acquisition. Rollo said he supports cultural and natural amenities in Bloomington, calling the city's environment a comparative advantage. He said that while on the council, he wants to develop a dialogue about greenspace within the community. He hopes to work with developers, residents and officials in creative ways that are not "polarizing." "A large number of people feel excluded," Rollo said. He said he supports downtown compact urban form and the concept of new urbanism, but stressed the importance of affordable housing. Rollo will take the seat for the one year left in Willsey's term, and said he will file to keep the seat for another four years in this year's election. Reporter Sarah Morin can be reached at 331-4363 or by e-mail at smorin@heraldt.com.

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Good luck to Rollo - Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) - January 29, 2003 - page 1 January 29, 2003 | Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) Congratulations to Dave Rollo, who was selected Monday to serve out the city council term of Jeffrey Willsey, who has resigned. Rollo is a research associate with IU's biology department and chairman of Bloomington's environmental commission. His selection further suggested a split between two wings of the Democratic party , one seen as a deeper "green," one as more business friendly. Four caucus members favored him, and four favored his main competitor, Jim Sherman, who had served two terms previously on the city council. Party chairman Frank McCloskey cast the deciding vote. His five selectors picked him to represent the Fourth District on a council that represents all of Bloomington. We encourage him to work hard for all, and we wish him well.

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Democrats to fill seat tonight - Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) - January 27, 2003 - page 1 January 27, 2003 | Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) | Sarah Morin Herald-Times Staff Writer Bloomington Democrats will decide tonight who will fill an empty seat on the city council. The seat representing District 4 became vacant when Jeffrey Willsey resigned earlier this month. Either Jim Sherman, a psychology professor at Indiana University, or David Rollo, a research associate with IU's biology department, will be sworn in as the district's new representative. The new member will attend the council's next meeting on Feb. 5. A caucus of eight precinct committee members from District 4, which covers the southeast side of Bloomington, will vote on the two candidates tonight. They are Lois Sabo-Skelton, Tim Mayer, Jack Davis, Trudy Marsischky, Iris Kiesling, Dave Toumey, Becky Wann and Jim Regester. While the council districts were redrawn last year, the precinct committee members "represent the district as it stood when Jeffrey was elected," said Regina Moore, city clerk. Willsey, who had one year left in his term, attended his last meeting Jan. 15. In a resignation announcement, Willsey said "my two small children need and deserve my full-time attention at this time." Reporter Sarah Morin can be reached at 331-4363 or by e-mail at smorin@heraldt.com.

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Sherman, Rollo seek council seat - Democratic - Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) - January 23, 2003 - page 1 January 23, 2003 | Herald-Times (Bloomington, IN) | Sarah Morin Herald-Times Staff Writer Jim Sherman, an Indiana University psychology professor, and David Rollo, a research associate in IU's biology department, are the two contenders so far for an open city council seat to be filled next week. A caucus is set Monday to fill the District 4 seat — for the remaining year of the term — after Jeffrey Willsey, a Democrat, resigned this month. Wednesday, Monroe County Democratic Party Chairman Frank McCloskey said Rollo and Sherman had filed documents with him. Other interested candidates have until Friday to file. McCloskey had also expressed interest in the position, but said Wednesday he's changed his mind. "Basically, I'm not ready at this point, given other concerns and priorities in my life, to commit to a five-year project that this would involve." The former Bloomington mayor and six-term U.S. congressman said he's given the decision much thought and will continue to remain active. "I'm happy and at peace with that decision. It has nothing to do with health-care concerns," he said. McCloskey was diagnosed with bladder cancer last summer and has been undergoing treatment. Rollo, chairman of the city's environmental commission, said he is concerned with the environment and protecting the dwindling green space. "On a city level, I feel we're really at a turning point where the city is going," Rollo said. Rollo gave input on the city's new growth plan, and is interested in seeing "it materialize as a reality." Rollo said he is also concerned about the district and its infrastructure. This will be Rollo's second shake with a caucus. In 1996, he filed for at an-large seat when Iris Kiesling resigned to run for county commissioners. "I'm very proud to be a Democrat," Rollo said. "Whoever wins will serve the party well." For two terms, Jim Sherman represented District 4 — before Willsey — and he wants to return to city service. "I enjoy doing city work and serving the city. I try to make part of my life either serving the city or the university. I've done both, I enjoy both," Sherman said. He said he enjoyed seeing things get done at the city level, ranging from trash collection to improvements to streets and sidewalks. Sherman said he is also "worried about social service agencies in Bloomington. They're getting less and less money." He also cited the city's new growth plan as a key issue as the city works on a zoning ordinance. Reporter Sarah Morin can be reached at 331-4363 or by e-mail at smorin@heraldt.com.

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Last Saturday, Courtney Daily was picked by the Democratic Party chairs of eight precincts in Bloomington city council’s District 5, to fill the vacancy left by Shruti Rana’s resignation.

That meant several bits of two-decade-old local civic history were essentially repeated.

In late January 2003, a Democratic Party caucus put Dave Rollo into the vacant seat left by the resignation of Jeffrey Willsey.

There are several differences, but also striking similarities, between the two caucuses, which were held 21 years apart. Continue reading “Political notebook: 2 decades later, a déjà vu for Dems at District 5 city council vacancy caucus” →

Democrats pick Courtney Daily to fill District 5 Bloomington city council vacancy

Courtney Daily is sworn into offices as the District 5 representative to Bloomington’s city council by city clerk Nicole Bolden. Holding the copy of the U.S. Constitution is Paul Daily, Courtney’s husband. (March 2, 2024)

Edward Robertson (Perry 26) and Courtney Daily (Perry 13).

Monroe County Democratic Party chair David Henry.

District 5 candidate Jenny Stevens.

District 5 candidate Jason Moore.

District 5 candidate Courtney Daily.

From left: District 9 Democratic Party chair Adam Dickey; and parliamentarian Matthew Kochevar.

From left: District 5 candidates Courtney Daily and Jenny Stevens.

At a Saturday caucus of the Monroe County Democratic Party, Courtney Daily emerged as winner of the contest to fill the District 5 vacancy on the Bloomington city council.

Daily was declared the winner after county chair David Henry broke a 4–4 tie in favor of Daily, over Jenny Stevens, after at total of four rounds of voting by eight precinct chairs for District 5.

Right after Henry announced his decision to break the tie in favor of Daily, she was sworn into office by city clerk Nicole Bolden.

She’ll be seated on the dais next Wednesday for her first city council meeting.

Daily told The B Square after the swearing in ceremony, “There were three strong candidates. And it was really hard.” What Daily meant was that even though she was able to participate in the vote, as the Perry 13 precinct chair, she recognized the merit of the two other candidates—Jenny Stevens and Jason Moore.

“I did not expect it to go down the way that it did,” Daily said. Continue reading “Democrats pick Courtney Daily to fill District 5 Bloomington city council vacancy” →

9th District Dems: Monroe County chair ‘within his rights’ to preside over Saturday’s Bloomington city council vacancy caucus

Monroe County Democratic Party chair David Henry. (Feb. 10, 2024)

Bloomington 06 precinct chair Natalia Galvan (Feb. 10, 2024)

Still set to preside over Saturday’s (March 2) three-way contested caucus to fill the vacancy in the District 5 Bloomington city council seat is Monroe County Democratic Party chair David Henry.

The vacancy was left when Shruti Rana announced her resignation from the seat in mid-January, effective Feb. 7. Vying to be selected at the caucus to fill in for Rana for the better part of the next four years are: Courtney Daily, Jason Moore, and Jenny Stevens.

Indiana state election law says that the county chair or someone they designate is the “chairman of caucus.”

After questions were raised about “conflicts of interest” for Henry, a review of that and several related issues was done by the 9th District Democratic Party. The review was summarized in a report dated Feb. 21, 2024.

The procedural review concluded that “[We] can find no substantial relationship (Ex: Familial relationship, professional relationship, etc) between [David Henry] and the caucus candidates, as currently known, and find no pecuniary interest that he might have in the caucus results.”

The report continues: “Without such conflict, Mr. Henry is within his rights as party chair to preside over the caucuses.”

For the Dems, the District 5 city council caucus is one of four vacancy caucuses since the start of the year, which were all subject of the 9th District review.

In addition to the question about whether Henry can preside over the caucuses, the 9th District report considers an eligibility question about one of the city council District 5 precinct chairs, who moved away from the district.

The 9th District report concludes that the vacation of the Perry 21 precinct chairship, to which Allyson McBride had been elected, was not forced, but rather was a “consenting resignation.”

Reached by email, McBride wrote to The B Square about the pertinent part of the 9th District report: “That is all correct! I have moved every single year I’ve been in Bloomington, and this year I moved out of district.” McBride added, “It was not a forced removal in any sense of the term.” Continue reading “9th District Dems: Monroe County chair ‘within his rights’ to preside over Saturday’s Bloomington city council vacancy caucus” →

Bloomington city council candidates field questions in runup to next weekend’s Democratic Party caucus

Bloomington city council District 5 is shaded orange in the southeastern periphery of the city.

On Saturday in Monroe County Public Library’s downtown auditorium, three candidates who are vying to fill the vacant District 5 seat on Bloomington’s city council appeared in front of an audience of about three dozen people.

Courtney Daily, Jason Moore, and Jenny Stevens gave opening statements and answered questions delivered by Monroe County Democratic Party chair David Henry.

Questions probed views of candidates on a range of topics—from non-police alternative response programs, to allowing duplexes in historically single-family-zoned areas, to homelessness.

Candidates were also given a chance to talk about what they see as the greatest challenges and opportunities that Bloomington faces. They were also asked how they planned to fill the gap left by Shruti Rana as a woman of color. It was Rana’s resignation that left the vacancy in the District 5 seat. Continue reading “Bloomington city council candidates field questions in runup to next weekend’s Democratic Party caucus” →

Rana to step down from Bloomington city council, academic couple to move to University of Missouri

Shruti Rana will be resigning from the Bloomington city council effective Feb. 7.

Judge Valeri Haughton administers the oath to Bloomington city councilmember Shruti Rana. Standing with her are husband David Gamage and daughter Eva Rana-Gamage. (Jan. 1, 2024)

In an emailed message sent early Saturday afternoon by Rana, she told her council colleagues that she and her family would be relocating to Missouri.

Rana is already employed by the University of Missouri, having accepted a position in fall 2023 as Assistant Vice Chancellor and Professor of Law. To take that spot, she left her Indiana University position as assistant dean at IU’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies and professor of law.

Rana’s husband is David Gamage, who announced in a Saturday email to his faculty colleagues at the IU Maurer School of Law on Saturday that he would be accepting a position at the University of Missouri as the Law School Foundation Distinguished Professor of Tax Law and Policy.

Rana’s announcement comes two weeks after she was sworn into office as a councilmember for the first time. The only meeting the council has held so far covered basic organizational matters like the selection of the council president.

Continue reading “Rana to step down from Bloomington city council, academic couple to move to University of Missouri” →

Bloomington mayor-elect Kerry Thomson names most top staff picks, cascade of caucuses could result

Kerry Thomson

Gretchen Knapp

Jessica McClellan

Kurt Zorn

Jason Moore

Andrew Cibor

Jane Kupersmith

Margie Rice

Beverly Calender-Anderson

Sharmaine Pechac

Rick Dietz

Tim Street

Mike Diekhoff

Adam Wason

John Langley

In a Friday morning news release on the first day of December, Bloomington mayor-elect Kerry Thomson announced most, but not all, of the department heads who will be a part of her administration starting on Jan. 1, 2024.

Replacing Larry Allen as deputy mayor will be Gretchen Knapp, who is head of operations and marketing for The Mill.

Returning will be some familiar faces: Mike Diekhoff (chief of police); Jason Moore (fire chief); Adam Wason (director of public works); Andrew Cibor (city engineer); Tim Street (now interim director of parks and recreation); and Rick Dietz (director of IT).

Returning on an interim basis will be Beverly Calender-Anderson who is head of CFRD (community and family resources department).

Coming on board only as interim to serve as head of city of Bloomington utilities will be John Langley. According to Thomson’s news release, Langley, retired as the CBU’s deputy director in 2019, is a former deputy mayor, personnel director, and housing code enforcement officer.

That means Vic Kelson will not be returning as CBU director.

Also not returning are HAND (housing and neighborhood development) director John Zody and planning and transportation director Scott Robinson. But Friday’s news release does not name interim or permanent replacements for those two departments. Continue reading “Bloomington mayor-elect Kerry Thomson names most top staff picks, cascade of caucuses could result” →

Bloomington District 6 city council: Dems pick Zulich

Official tally of the vote (June 30, 2023 Democratic Party caucus)

The six precincts of District 6 are outlined in brown. Surrounding districts (clowise 2, 3, and 4) are shown in green red and yellow.

Nicole Bolden fills out her ballot(June 30, 2023 Democratic Party caucus)

David Henry (June 30, 2023 Democratic Party caucus)

The Hammer (June 30, 2023 Democratic Party caucus)

Official ballot box (June 30, 2023 Democratic Party caucus)

Sydney Zulich (June 30, 2023 Democratic Party caucus)

Sydney Zulich will appear on the Nov. 7 Bloomington municipal election ballot as the Democratic Party’s nominee for Bloomington city council District 6.

Zulich was the selection of the party’s caucus, which was held on Friday, to fill the ballot vacancy resulting from David Wolfe Bender’s resignation as the District 6 nominee.

Bender won the May 2 primary, as the only candidate on the ballot, but resigned amid a dispute over his residency in the district.

At Friday’s caucus, Zulich was the only candidate vying to fill the vacancy.

She completed her undergraduate degree at Indiana University this spring.

The caucus was held in Bloomington’s city council chambers at city hall. Continue reading “Bloomington District 6 city council: Dems pick Zulich” →

Bender resigns as nominee for Bloomington District 6 city council, Dems will caucus to fill ballot

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.

It was on Thursday afternoon when Bender filed the CAN 46 form, resigning his candidacy. Continue reading “Bender resigns as nominee for Bloomington District 6 city council, Dems will caucus to fill ballot” →

Monroe County GOP gives greenlight to county chair to fill ballot vacancies

William Ellis at GOP meeting on June 28, 2022.

Taylor Bryant at GOP meeting on June 28, 2022.

At a meeting of Republican Party precinct chairs held at Ellettsville town hall on Tuesday evening, they gave county party chair Taylor Bryant the authority to fill vacancies on the Nov. 8 election ballot.

Bryant would have until noon on July 3 fill ballot vacancies.

Before the vote, county vice chair William Ellis said Bryant’s authority is just for cases where no GOP candidate filed for the May 3 primary election, and does not extend to filling a vacancy for an office due to resignation or death.

As of Tuesday, the GOP does not have on-the-ballot candidates for several Monroe County races, like prosecutor, clerk, assessor, and two judgeships. That’s due in part to the fact that Monroe County voters favor Democratic Party candidates. In the 2020 presidential race, Democrat Joe Biden won over Republican Donald Trump by a 28-point margin.

Responding to a B Square question after Tuesday’s meeting, Bryant said for township trustee and township board positions she’s heard some interest expressed from potential candidates. About county-level positions, Bryant said, “We’ve had some conversations—I don’t know if we’re going to get anybody for those.” Continue reading “Monroe County GOP gives greenlight to county chair to fill ballot vacancies” →

First Black woman chosen by Monroe County Dems for council: “Yes, I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”

Jennifer Crossley.

Back (from left): Trent Deckard, Peter Iversen. Front: Kate Wiltz, Geoff McKim, Jennifer Crossley, Cheryl Munson.

Monroe County Democratic Party caucus (Dec. 19, 2021).

Jennifer Crossley with husband Justin and children Kendall (7), Mason (9), Sydney (14).

Jennifer Crossley was chosen at Sunday afternoon’s Democratic Party caucus to fill the vacant seat on the seven-member Monroe County council.

That means she’ll be stepping down as chair of the Monroe County Dems. Instead of Crossley, presiding over the caucus proceedings on Sunday was party vice chair David Henry.

The caucus was held in the auditorium of the Monroe County Public Library.

In her remarks delivered before the vote, Crossley said, “I’m running to fill this seat because I truly feel and believe that representation matters. And it is important to me that individuals from different backgrounds, lived experiences, and socio-economic statuses are in elected positions and get a seat at the table.”

Crossley added, “And as a Black woman, I feel that I bring this to this table. This is a historic moment in our county and our party, because if voted in this caucus today, I would be the first Black woman to serve on the county council.”

Crossley wrapped up her point by saying, “Yes, I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.” Continue reading “First Black woman chosen by Monroe County Dems for council: “Yes, I am my ancestors’ wildest dreams.”” →