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” →

Monroe Convention Center planning maintains pace, CIB to consider OK for construction manager RFQ, politicos still mulling interlocal agreement

Capital improvement board members, from left: Adam Thies and Doug Bruce. (Jan. 5, 2024)

From left: CIB legal counsel Jim Whitlatch and capital improvement board member Mick Renneisen (Jan. 5, 2024)

Conceptual rendering by Schmidt Associates from 2019 looking south along College Avenue.

The issuance of an RFQ (request for qualifications) for a “construction manager as contractor” for the convention center expansion project will be one of the first actions considered in the new year by Monroe County’s capital improvement board of managers (CIB).

The issuance of such an RFQ, with a three-week turnaround allowed for responses, is the recommendation of a three-member committee of the CIB, which met on Friday morning.

Meeting at the offices of the Bunger & Robertson law firm, which is kitty corner across from the existing Monroe Convention Center at 3rd Street and College Avenue, were: Adam Thies, Mick Renneisen and Doug Bruce. They were joined by Jim Whitlatch, a Bunger & Robertson attorney, who has been brought on as legal counsel for the CIB.

The consideration of the committee’s recommendation, about issuing an RFQ, is intended for the CIB’s Jan. 17 meeting.

Members of the CIB are leaving to elected officials a question that is still for the politicos to decide—the ratification of a four-way interlocal agreement that provides the framework for project contributions by the city and county governments.

The interlocal agreement includes the Bloomington city council and the mayor, which have already signed off on it.

But the county’s side is taking a minute to review the interlocal agreement.

At the county council’s first meeting of the year on Jan. 9, it should start to become clear if the delay by councilors and county commissioners will prove to be just a hiccup, or if county officials will insist on amendments that would require re-approval by the city council and the mayor.

Continue reading “Monroe Convention Center planning maintains pace, CIB to consider OK for construction manager RFQ, politicos still mulling interlocal agreement” →

Filing deadline passes with no independent candidates for Bloomington mayor on the ballot

At Monroe County’s election headquarters at the intersection of 7th and Madison streets, election supervisor Karen Wheeler spoke with The Beacon around quarter to noon on Monday. Up to then, she said, no independent candidates for Bloomington mayor had turned in the minimum 522 signatures to qualify for the ballot.

A short while later, after confirming the clock read 12:01, Wheeler declared the deadline expired. cropped election registration sign 20190701_115854

Write-in candidates have until noon Wednesday, July 3, to file their paperwork.

The Republican Party is not fielding a candidate for mayor.

That means if no candidate registers as a write-in for the mayor’s race, incumbent John Hamilton is certain to serve as mayor for another four years, starting in 2020, even though no vote for that office will be held.

If no candidate registers as a write-in for any of the other citywide posts, that will mean no elections on Nov. 5 for most of the city of Bloomington, according to Wheeler. Continue reading “Filing deadline passes with no independent candidates for Bloomington mayor on the ballot” →