2 change votes, Bloomington city council overrides mayoral veto of anti-pipeline resolution

Bloomington city council meeting on April 17, 2024. Andy Ruff attended on the Zoom video platform. Matt Flaherty was absent.

Map of area of focus for water study: https://www.in.gov/ifa/regional-water-studies/north-central-indiana-water-study/

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson. (March 27, 2024)

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson’s veto of a resolution opposing a potential water pipeline, from the aquifers of the Wabash River to Lebanon in Boone County, has been overridden by the city council.

Wednesday’s vote tally was 7–0 with one abstention, by Kate Rosenbarger. Matt Flaherty did not attend the meeting.

Lebanon is about 30 miles northwest of Indianapolis. From Lebanon, it’s another 35 miles, northwest along I-65, to West Lafayette.

The pipeline is part of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s eventual plan to provide resources to its LEAP (Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace) District near Lebanon in Boone County.

On March 27, when the council voted for the first time on the anti-pipeline resolution, it had just five votes of support, with four abstentions. Continue reading “2 change votes, Bloomington city council overrides mayoral veto of anti-pipeline resolution” →

Bloomington’s city council set for potential override vote on mayoral veto of LEAP pipeline resolution

Bloomington city councilmembers from near to far: Matt Flaherty, Sydney Zulich, Dave Rollo, Andy Ruff, Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Hopi Stosberg, Isak Asare, and Courtney Daily. Kate Rosenbarger attended via Zoom. (March 27, 2024)

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson. (March 27, 2024)

Appearing on the Bloomington city council’s meeting agenda for next Wednesday (April 17) is a resolution opposing the construction of a pipeline in north central Indiana for the diversion of water from the Wabash River.

The pipeline is part of the LEAP (Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace) District, which is a project of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC).

The resolution was already approved by the city council at its March 27 meeting, with support from five councilmembers.

But in order to be considered an adopted resolution of the city council, it will need to pick up a sixth vote of support on Wednesday. That would give it the required two-thirds majority needed to override a mayoral veto.

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson did not sign the resolution within a 10-day window after it was presented to her by city clerk Nicole Bolden, on April 1, which effectively vetoed it. That’s even though Thomson did not return the resolution to the council, with a message announcing her veto with a reason for it.

Indiana state law does not give an option to mayors other than to sign legislation, or affirmatively veto it. But state law does make clear what the status of the legislation is, if the mayor fails to perform their duty, either to sign the resolution or veto it: The legislation is considered vetoed. Continue reading “Bloomington’s city council set for potential override vote on mayoral veto of LEAP pipeline resolution” →

CIB budget OK’d on split city council vote, answers on land for convention center hoped for by May 8

Link to dynamic version of property map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1hSQWt9_PyG1bcqZIXQjTWoj9Rk7E-ow&usp=sharing

CIB meeting from near to far: Joyce Poling, Adam Thies, Jim Silberstein, and Jay Baer. (April 10, 2024)

CIB controller Jeff Underwood shows CIB members a map of properties. (April 10, 2024)

CIB budget OK'd on split city council vote, answers on land for convention center hoped for by May 8

Bloomington councilmember Isak Asare. (April 10, 2024)

From left: CIB president John Whikehart and CIB controller Jeff Underwood. (April 10, 2024)

Wednesday night, the Monroe Convention Center expansion project took another step forward, on what turned out to be a less-than-routine vote by the Bloomington city council.

The vote to approve the Monroe County capital improvement board’s (CIB’s) 2024 budget was split 6–2. Dissent came from Kate Rosenbarger and Matt Flaherty. Not attending was Andy Ruff.

The CIB is the public body that was created by the Monroe County commissioners to provide the governance of the expansion project, which is supposed to be funded by the food and beverage tax. The extra 1-percent of tax on prepared foods and beverages has been collected since 2018.

Earlier on Wednesday, at the CIB’s regular meeting, the city council’s upcoming vote on the CIB’s $250,000 budget for 2024 was one of the highlights of the briefing from CIB treasurer, Eric Spoonmore.

Spoonmore reviewed for his CIB colleagues that the city council had voted unanimously at its March 27 meeting to ask the food and beverage tax advisory commission (FABTAC) for a recommendation on the use of the $250,000 in food and beverage tax revenue. Spoonmore called that city council vote an “easy process” that took just 10 minutes.

With the FABTAC’s recommendation on the books, the city council was set to vote on the budget later that night, Spoonmore said. He summed up the situation in a way that included a verbal hiccup, which might have foreshadowed what turned out to be nearly two hours of city council deliberations on the topic, with a split vote: “So everything is all good there, assuming that we have a similar unan– or approval from the city council.” Continue reading “CIB budget OK’d on split city council vote, answers on land for convention center hoped for by May 8” →

CIB budget cued up for Bloomington council, no big course change in sight on convention center project

From left: Monroe County councilor Trent Deckard and Bloomington city councilmember Andy Ruff. (April 5, 2024)

Bloomington city council work session. (April 5, 2024)

At the table from left: Bloomington city councilmember Kate Rosenbarger, Monroe County councilor Geoff McKim, and Bloomington city councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith. (April 5, 2024)

Panorama of convention center looking to the southwest as seen in August of 2022.

The topic of the Monroe Convention Center renovation and expansion project has recently been prominent on the work plan for Bloomington’s city council.

This coming Wednesday’s (April 10) council meeting will make two out of the last three regular meetings that the council has had an item on its agenda involving the convention center project.

At its March 27 meeting, the council voted to ask the food and beverage tax advisory commission (FABTAC) to review a $250,000 expenditure from the revenue generated by the tax, to support the 2024 budget for Monroe County’s capital improvement board (CIB). That’s the group of seven people who are providing the governance for the convention center expansion project.

This coming Wednesday, the council will be asked to approve the CIB’s budget, based on the $250,000 appropriation, which was already a part of the 2024 adopted budget for the city of Bloomington.

This past Friday, the council held a work session on the topic, at the urging of councilmember Kate Rosenbarger, who is looking to spend food and beverage tax money on projects other than the convention center.

Based on Friday’s work session discussion, besides Rosenbarger and Matt Flaherty, there’s little appetite among city councilmembers, or other elected or appointed officials, for altering course from the current plan in any significant way.

That plan is for the city to use the vast majority of its food and beverage tax revenue to pay for the convention center expansion project. Continue reading “CIB budget cued up for Bloomington council, no big course change in sight on convention center project” →

Zero traffic deaths by 2039 says Bloomington, outdoor parklet dining program OK’d another year

Parklet for Metal Works Brewing on 6th Street looking southwest. (2022)

The west side of College Avenue from Kirkwood to 6th Street. (Bing aerial imagery 2022)

(B Square file photo from August 2020) College at 6th looking south.

Screenshot of a web-based survey that includes a way for respondents to place a dot where they feel unsafe (red) or safe (green) with comments. Link to survey: https://tooledesign.github.io/Bloomington_SS4A/

An image from Bloomington’s high-injury network from the slide deck presentation to the city council. Here’s a link to a version of the slide deck: https://bloomington.in.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/2024-04-03%20City%20Council%20Presentation.pdf

A graph showing Bloomington’s goal for reducing traffic fatalities to zero. From the slide deck: https://bloomington.in.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/2024-04-03%20City%20Council%20Presentation.pdf

Bloomington wants to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on the city’s roadways to zero by 2039.

That’s one of the big points of a resolution adopted by Bloomington’s city council at its regular Wednesday meeting.

The other big point of the resolution is that the city will adopt a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Action Plan. The SS4A is a grant program administered by the Federal Transit Administration.

Presenting the resolution was Ryan Robling, who is the city’s planning services manager, and Dean Chamberlain, who is the engineering group manager for Toole Design’s Minneapolis office. Toole is helping Bloomington develop the city’s SS4A action plan under a $132,500 contract approved last year by the board of public works.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the city council extended for the 2024 season the outdoor dining program for parklets—on-street parking spaces that restaurants can pay a fee to use as additional areas to serve customers. The program this year runs from April 29 until Nov. 1. Continue reading “Zero traffic deaths by 2039 says Bloomington, outdoor parklet dining program OK’d another year” →

Gaza ceasefire resolution gets 9–0 vote from Bloomington council, mayoral veto uncertain

Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Matt Flaherty. Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Sydney Zulich. Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Isak Asare. Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Hopi Stosberg. Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Gaza resolution sponsors Dave Rollo and Isabel Piedmont-Smith.Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Kerry Thomson. Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Isabel Piedmont-Smith. Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

Bloomington city council meeting: Resolution on Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. (April 3, 2024)

A resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza so that humanitarian aid can be delivered got unanimous support from Bloomington’s city council at its regular Wednesday meeting.

The 9–0 vote came after public commentary that ended around 11:40 p.m. The council’s vote came just before midnight.

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson’s stated at the council’s previous meeting, on March 27, that she would not be signing resolutions like the one on a Gaza ceasefire.

But it is not clear if a mayoral veto on Wednesday’s resolution will be forthcoming. Continue reading “Gaza ceasefire resolution gets 9–0 vote from Bloomington council, mayoral veto uncertain” →

Monroe Convention Center expansion: Bloomington city council work session set for April 5

Total food and beverage tax revenues by month since the 1-percent tax started getting collected.

Bloomington’s city council has set a work session for this Friday (April 5) at noon, to discuss a project that has been in the works for a few years—the renovation and expansion of the Monroe Convention Center.

The current convention center stands on the southwest corner of 3rd Street and College Avenue.

The work session will likely be closely watched by other elected and appointed officials, because the city council is not necessarily unanimous in its support of every aspect of the planned expansion.

At the end of February, councilmember Kate Rosenbarger voted against the interlocal agreement that lays out the working relationship between city government, county government, and the Monroe County capital improvement board (CIB). Continue reading “Monroe Convention Center expansion: Bloomington city council work session set for April 5” →

Mayoral veto looks likely for Bloomington city council advocacy resolutions, including any on Gaza, as anti-pipeline measure passes with 4 abstentions

Councilmember Hopi Stosberg. (March 27, 2024)

Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith. (March 27, 2024)

Councilmember Andy Ruff. (March 27, 2024)

Councilmember Matt Flaherty. (March 27, 2024)

Councilmember Isak Asare. (March 27, 2024)

Councilmember Dave Rollo. (March 27, 2024)

Councilmembers applaud Bloomington city clerk Nicole Bolden’s achievement of the status of master municipal clerk. (March 27, 2024)

An additional Bloomington police officer was assigned to city council chambers. (March 27, 2024)

Many in the audience held signs that read: “Cease Fire Now”. (March 27, 2024)

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson. (March 27, 2024)

Bloomington city council meeting audience. (March 27, 2024).

Bloomington city council meeting. (March 27, 2024)

On Wednesday night, Bloomington’s city council just barely passed a resolution opposing the construction of a pipeline in north central Indiana for the diversion of water from the Wabash River.

The resolution, which had been put forward by Andy Ruff, got support from just five councilmembers, which is a majority on the nine-member body. Voting for it were: Ruff, Dave Rollo, Isabel Piedmont- Smith, Hopi Stosberg and Courtney Daily.

Abstaining on the vote were: Matt Flaherty, Sydney Zulich, Isak Asare, and Kate Rosenbarger.

The resolution passed with some amendments, including one that added a request that the General Assembly establish a comprehensive water management plan.

The council had discussed the resolution opposing the LEAP pipeline at its March 6 meeting, but postponed it until this week.

Before the council voted, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson gave a clear indication she would not be signing the resolution, or any similar resolutions in the future.

Addressing the council, Thomson put it like this: “While it is your prerogative to pass resolutions that express viewpoints on matters that we do not oversee, as a matter of principle, I will not be signing any resolutions that do not directly impact the business of our city.”

Continue reading “Mayoral veto looks likely for Bloomington city council advocacy resolutions, including any on Gaza, as anti-pipeline measure passes with 4 abstentions” →

Bloomington city council OKs convention center interlocal accord, but not unanimously

Bloomington city councilmember Kate Rosenbarger.

Monroe County capital improvement board president John Whikehart.

Downtown Bloomington, Inc. executive director Talisha Coppock.

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson.

Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce director of advocacy Christopher Emge.

Bloomington corporation counsel Margie Rice.

The governance structure for the expansion of the Monroe Convention center, which currently stands at 3rd Street and College Avenue, is now settled.

On Wednesday night, Bloomington’s city council approved its side of a four-way interlocal agreement about the way the Monroe County capital improvement board (CIB) will interact with other local units, to handle the convention center expansion project.

The vote on the nine-member city council was 7–1. Dissenting was Kate Rosenbarger.

The tally does not add to 9, because the District 5 seat is currently vacant, pending the selection of a replacement at Saturday’s (March 2) vacancy caucus to be held by the Democratic Party.

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson attended Wednesday’s meeting, but did not address the council. After the council’s vote, Thomson responded to a B Square question by saying she would be signing the agreement as soon as it is presented to her.

The city council’s approval came after the Monroe County commissioners approved the agreement last week, and the county council adopted it the week before. Continue reading “Bloomington city council OKs convention center interlocal accord, but not unanimously” →

Local officials sworn in, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson says, “It’s time to get moving.”

Judge Valeri Haughton administers the the oath of office to Bloomington city clerk Nicole Bolden. (Jan. 1, 2024)

Bloomington city clerk Nicole Bolden administers the oath to Ellettsville clerk treasurer, Noelle Conyer. (Jan. 1, 2024)

Bloomington city clerk Nicole Bolden administers the oath to Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson. (Jan. 1, 2024)

Starting a few minutes after noon on New Year’s Day in Bloomington’s city hall, the mayor, city clerk, city councilmembers, and the Ellettsville clerk treasurer were sworn into office to start four-year terms.

The chambers were packed, including the upper level, leaving some to stand in the lobby.

First to be sworn in was Bloomington city clerk Nicole Bolden. Administering the oath was Monroe County circuit court judge Valeri Haughton, who is Bolden’s mother.

That set up Bolden to administer the oaths of office for some of the other officials.

Bookending the proceedings was the swearing in of Ellettsville clerk treasurer Noelle Conyer.

When Conyer’s turn was reached on the program, Bolden said, “I think it is easy for us in Bloomington to forget that we in Monroe County host several communities, and so it is my distinct honor and pleasure to next administer the oath for my colleague and counterpart in Ellettsville.”

Before the ceremony started, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson delivered remarks lasting about seven minutes. Continue reading “Local officials sworn in, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson says, “It’s time to get moving.”” →