Local Government

A special judge ordered Bloomington to pay $37,500 in attorney fees to residents who defeated annexation of Areas 1A and 1B, rejecting their nearly $200,000 request. A separate constitutional annexation dispute remains pending while Indiana’s Supreme Court decides whether to take it.

Monroe County commissioners voted 2–0 to end the county’s Flock Safety contract and remove six license plate readers, accepting a possible $3,000 removal fee. Commissioners cited concerns about misuse of data in Flock’s nationwide system. Sheriff Ruben Marté supports the move.

Monroe County commissioners have revived Hopewell as a possible jail and justice center site, asking Bloomington councilmembers to send the proposal to the RDC. But county officials want to avoid the full city planning review and approval process, because they say it would cause unacceptable delay.

Bloomington’s city council fell two votes short of overriding Mayor Kerry Thomson’s veto of a mandatory seasonal Kirkwood Avenue closure. The 4–4 vote left the ordinance defeated after Dave Rollo reversed his earlier support.

Bloomington Transit’s board has voted 3–2 to replace longtime management firm RATP Dev with Keolis. That ends general manager John Connell’s tenure. He has two months left. The board's action came despite opposition from the mayor’s office.

Two development teams have proposed hotel-and-housing projects for Bloomington’s College Square property. One calls for a roughly 160-room hotel with below-market-rate housing; the other includes a 135-room boutique hotel and about 100 apartments. No purchase prices were disclosed by the RDC Monday.