Analysis: Bloomington’s living wage to hit $16.22 an hour in 2025, but work like video services is left out

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In 2025, Bloomington’s “living wage” will reach $16.22 an hour.

Of that $16.22, up to $2.43 can be in the form of health insurance offered to a covered employee.

The increase in 2025 will boost Bloomington’s living wage by $0.47 an hour (about 3 percent) from the 2024 level of $15.75.

Enacted in 2005 by Bloomington’s city council, the living wage at the start was set at $10, with a provision that it increase by an amount based on the CPI (consumer price index).

Who has to meet the living wage standard in Bloomington?

Continue reading “Analysis: Bloomington’s living wage to hit $16.22 an hour in 2025, but work like video services is left out” →

Appointments: Diekhoff as Bloomington police chief, Kerr as fire chief means reuse of 16-year-old headline

Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff (January 2023)

Diekhoff, Kerr bring knowledge, commitment Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan has made two excel- lent selections in naming Mike Diekhoff police chief and Roger Kerr fire chief. Diekhoff had long been the apparent successor to Chief Mike Hostetler, who is retiring at the end of the year. He has been a thoughtful member of the Bloomington City Council the last nine years. He is a 20-year veteran of the Bloom- ington Police Department and Has been involved in policy matters as captain of the uniform division. He grew up in Bloomington and graduated from Bloomington High School North and Indiana University. Kerr was in the same graduating class at BHS North. He has been with the Bloomington Fire Department for 19 years and has been acting chief since September. Both men have knowledge about the community and already have made an investment in it. They should be strong leaders for Bloomington's future. Herald-Times op-ed Dec. 19, 2007

Dec. 19, 2007 Herald-Times op-ed

Bloomington interim fire chief Roger Kerr (Jan. 5, 2024)

In late 2007, Bloomington’s then-chief of police Mike Hostetler was set to retire at the end of the year.

Bloomington’s fire chief at the time was Roger Kerr, who was serving as interim chief, to fill the vacancy left by Jeff Barlow, who left for a fire chief position in Kentucky.

In mid-December of 2007, then-mayor Mark Kruzan, was finishing his fourth year of service as Bloomington’s executive, and preparing to start a second term. A Democrat, Kruzan was fresh off a municipal election victory over Republican candidate David Sabbagh.

That’s when Kruzan announced he would be appointing Kerr as permanent fire chief. At the same time, he announced he would be promoting Mike Diekhoff to police chief from his position as captain in the department.

The two appointments made for a pair of front-page headlines in the Dec. 19, 2007 edition of the Herald-Times, in a single package with an all-caps banner: NEW CHIEFS. The individual articles were headlined: “Diekhoff to lead police” and “Kerr secures fire post.”

Those are basically the same headlines that could have run in recent weeks, 16 years later.

Bloomington’s new mayor, Kerry Thomson, has re-appointed Diekhoff to serve as chief of police. And Thomson appointed Kerr to fill in as interim for fire chief Jason Moore, who resigned.

Last Friday, both men were confirmed in their respective roles as chief of police and interim-chief of the fire department by Bloomington’s board of public safety. Continue reading “Appointments: Diekhoff as Bloomington police chief, Kerr as fire chief means reuse of 16-year-old headline” →

To sell or not to sell Bloomington’s police station building: Board tees up vote for city council

Board of public works member Kyla Cox Deckard (Dec. 8, 2023)

Board of public works member Elizabeth Karon (Dec. 8, 2023)

Real estate agent Tim Ballard (Dec. 8, 2023)

Bloomington corporation counsel Beth Cate (Dec. 8, 2023)

Bloomington resident David Sabbagh (Dec. 8, 2023)

Police union president Paul Post

Police union vice president Jeffrey Rodgers (Dec. 8, 2023)

Councilmember Matt Flaherty (left) and city council attorney Stephen Lucas (Dec. 8, 2023)

Council president Sue Sgambelluri (Dec. 8, 2023)

Cued up next Wednesday for Bloomington city councilmembers—as the final agenda item for the final scheduled meeting of their four-year terms—is the sale of the city’s police station, which stands on 3rd Street, just north of The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park.

That’s the outcome of Friday’s board of public works public hearing, to review three purchase offers.

The board did not recommend that the mayor and city council sell the property to any of the three potential buyers. The board also did not recommend against selling the property.

Instead, the three-member board, all mayoral appointees, voted 2–0 to give no recommendation. That non-recommendation will now go to the city council on Wednesday (Dec. 13) for a vote.

Outgoing mayor John Hamilton administration’s first choice of a buyer is GMS-Pavillion Properties, which after some back-and-forth, offered $4.4 million. Continue reading “To sell or not to sell Bloomington’s police station building: Board tees up vote for city council” →

Nov. 7 election: School district voters will decide on 8.5-cent tax increase

MCCSC board vice president April Hennessey (June 27, 2023)

Paul Farmer, president of Monroe County Education Association (June 25, 2023)

MCCSC MCCSC superintendent Jeff Hauswald (June 27, 2023)

MCCSC board member Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer (June 25, 2023)

MCCSC board president Brandon Shurr (June 27, 2023)

On Nov. 7, voters who live in the Monroe County Community School Corporation will decide whether to increase their property tax rate by 8.5 cents.

The resolution to put the question on the ballot was approved by the MCCSC board on Tuesday night at its regular monthly meeting.

The vote was unanimous among the seven board members, who were all present at the meeting.

According to the wording of the ballot question, the money to be raised by the additional tax has to be used for the purpose of “expanding and funding free and affordable early childhood education (including preschool) and eliminating student and family fees for K-12 education, funding career education program costs and technology and funding supply and instructional materials for all students.”

According to district superintendent Jeff Hauswald, the effect of the proposed tax increase, combined with some reductions in other tax rates, would mean about $50 more dollars a year for someone who owns a $250,000 home.

Tuesday’s meeting was lightly attended, but one person did take a turn at the public mic, in support of the referendum.

Paul Farmer, president of Monroe County Education Association, spoke on his own behalf, because the teachers union has not yet voted on the question. But Farmer said he thinks the MCEA will vote in support of the increased tax. Continue reading “Nov. 7 election: School district voters will decide on 8.5-cent tax increase” →

School district fields questions about possible Nov. 7 referendum on 8.5-cent tax increase

Randy Cassady, a member of Bloomington’s redevelopment commission, asked about the impact of TIF districts on the tax.

Former school board member Sue Wanzer asked where MCCSC would run its pre-K programs.

Maqubè Reese asked how MCCSC is preparing for the influx of a more diverse population.

David Sabbagh asked if the referendum could not be put off until 2024.

Monroe County Community School Corporation superintendent Jeff Hauswald.

On Wednesday night, MCCSC superintendent Jeff Hauswald presented the district’s case for a referendum on Nov. 7 that would add 8.5 cents to the district’s property tax rate.

Hauswald then fielded questions from meeting attendees.

Wednesday’s meeting came the day after the school board voted unanimously to pass a resolution authorizing Hauswald to consult with Monroe County auditor Cathy Smith about the calculations that would go into increasing MCCSC’s property tax rate by 8.5 cents.

A vote to put the question to the public as a referendum could come at the school board’s June meeting.

The revenue generated by the additional tax would go towards early childhood education for 3-to-5-year-old children, as well as other initiatives to make education more accessible.

The other initiatives include free instructional technology, supplies, and consumables for all students. Also made free would be Advanced Placement (AP) exams and tests that are needed for workplace certificates. The additional revenue would also cover free career education, including tuition, testing, supplies, and associated fees.

Based on the remarks and questions from the public who spoke, the dozen and half people who attended Wednesday night’s presentation were mostly friendly to the idea of the increased tax.

But former city councilmember David Sabbagh questioned the timing of the public vote. Sabbagh said he is a strong advocate of early childhood education. He told Hauswald, “I would have trouble disagreeing with anything you said.”

Sabbagh continued, “Unfortunately, we have this thing called city government that also taxes us.” He noted the Bloomington is considering an increase to trash collection fees. Sabbagh also noted that his tax bill had already increased due to the successful 18.5-cent referendum that MCCSC had put on the ballot in 2022—which passed with 68.6 percent support.

Sabbagh asked, “I wonder if you couldn’t put it off for a year?” Continue reading “School district fields questions about possible Nov. 7 referendum on 8.5-cent tax increase” →