Tag: mayor

Poll on Bloomington mayor job performance among Dems: 46% approve, 11% disapprove, rest unsure

Just a little over 100 days after Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson was sworn into office, a big number of Bloomington residents are not sure if they approve or disapprove of her job performance so far.

But more than four times as many Democrats approve of Thomson’s performance as disapprove of it. Among Republicans, twice as many disapprove of Thomson’s performance as approve of it. Thomson is a Democrat.

The question about Thomson’s performance was included in a text-to-web poll on races for Monroe  County offices, which was conducted in the second week of April for The B Square by Public Policy Polling (PPP), a company based in North Carolina.

Among likely voters in the May 7 Democratic Party primary, 42 percent said they were not sure if they disapproved or approved of Thomson’s performance. On the Republican side, 45 percent indicated they are unsure about Thomson’s performance.

Among Democrats, 46 percent approved of Thomson’s performance, while 11 percent disapproved. Among Republicans, 19 percent approved of Thomson’s performance, while 36 disapproved. Continue reading “Poll on Bloomington mayor job performance among Dems: 46% approve, 11% disapprove, rest unsure” →

Judge denies Bloomington’s motion, CRAA remains as plaintiff in annexation litigation

County Residents Against Annexation (CRAA) will remain as a plaintiff in the litigation pending in the courts on the merits of Bloomington’s effort to annex two geographic areas into the city.

The areas in question are Area 1A and Area 1B, located to the west and southwest of the city.

In a ruling signed on April 9, 2024,  judge Nathan Nikirk denied the city of Bloomington’s motion to have CRAA removed as one of several plaintiffs in the case.

The order from Nikirk came about a week after oral arguments were heard, on April 1. Continue reading “Judge denies Bloomington’s motion, CRAA remains as plaintiff in annexation litigation” →

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

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)
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” →

Tenants of building to be remodeled for Bloomington police, fire: Some resistant to early move out

Bloomington city attorney Larry Allen (Jan. 22, 2024)
Bloomington RDC members from left: John West, Deb Hutton, Deborah Myerson, and Randy Cassady. (Jan. 22, 2024)

There was a lot of business that got transacted on Monday, at the first meeting of the year for Bloomington’s redevelopment commission (RDC).

But there was one big takeaway: A plan to renovate Showers West, to create a home for fire administration and police operations, looks like it will need way more negotiation with current tenants, in order to move ahead at the city’s hoped-for pace.

It emerged during Monday’s RDC meeting that some the tenants don’t want to end their leases early. According to Bloomington’s corporation counsel Margie Rice, who briefed the RDC on Monday, there are at least six tenants who are “not willing to move.” Continue reading “Tenants of building to be remodeled for Bloomington police, fire: Some resistant to early move out” →

Bloomington city council’s first meeting puts familiar faces in leadership, gives public safety some airtime

Shruti Rana (Jan. 10, 2024)
Matt Flaherty (Jan. 10, 2024)
Hopi Stosberg (Jan. 10, 2024)
Dave Rollo (Jan. 10, 2024)
Kate Rosenbarger (Jan. 10, 2024)
Isak Asare (Jan. 10, 2024)
Gretchen Knapp (Jan. 10, 2024)
Kerry Thomson (Jan. 10, 2024)
Sydney Zulich (Jan. 10, 2024)
Isabel Piedmont-Smith (Jan. 10, 2024)
Kerry Thomson (Jan. 10, 2024)
Andy Ruff (Jan. 10, 2024)
Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson addresses the city council (Jan. 10, 2024)
Bloomington’s city council (Jan. 10, 2024)

On Wednesday, the 2024 edition of Bloomington’s city council gathered for the first time at city hall since it was sworn in on New Year’s Day.

One of the first orders of business at the council’s first meeting, which is required by state law, was to choose a president and vice president to serve for the upcoming year.

The job of president went to District 1 representative Isabel Piedmont-Smith. The job of vice president went to at-large representative Andy Ruff.

A requirement of local law, but not state statute, is to choose a parliamentarian. The job of parliamentarian went to District 3 representative Hopi Stosberg.

For all three council officer positions, those who were chosen were the only members nominated. The votes were all unanimous on the nine-member council.

Much of Wednesday’s meeting was first-of-the-year housekeeping, including the introduction of new Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson, and deputy mayor Gretchen Knapp, who each delivered brief remarks.

Also introduced were some new department heads: Jane Kupersmith, head of economic and sustainable development; Jessica McClellan, city controller; and Sharmaine Pechac, head of human resources.

But the topic of public safety—in general, as well as in connection with the clearance of a homeless encampment last Thursday—got some discussion at the meeting. Continue reading “Bloomington city council’s first meeting puts familiar faces in leadership, gives public safety some airtime” →

Bloomington city council rejects sale of police station on 0–9 vote, but door seems ajar for future deal

Bloomington police station from 3rd Street. (Dec. 13, 2023)
Aerial image of Bloomington police station.

At their final scheduled meeting of their four-year terms, Bloomington’s city council voted unanimously against the sale of the city’s police station, which stands on 3rd Street, just north of The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park.

Some councilmembers expressed support for Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s overall plan, which includes consolidation of  fire administration and police operations with other departments in the same building as city hall—even though they voted against the sale of the police station on Wednesday night.

Mayor-elect Kerry Thomson weighed in from the public mic, using the Zoom video conference platform. She called for a delay in the sale, in order to get answers to several questions that had been raised, but did not argue against any sale of the property ever in the future.

The specific purchase offer that was rejected by the council was from GMS-Pavillion for $4.4 million. That amount was the higher of two appraisals obtained by the city for the fair market value of the property. Continue reading “Bloomington city council rejects sale of police station on 0–9 vote, but door seems ajar for future deal” →

Bloomington fire chief resigns days after being tapped for service by mayor-elect: Next steps?

Last week on Friday (Dec. 1), Bloomington mayor-elect Kerry Thomson announced several of her picks for the department heads who would be a part of her administration, after she is sworn into office on Jan. 1.

Among Thomson’s announced choices was Jason Moore as fire chief—which meant he would continue to head up the city’s fire department as he has since mid-2016, after being appointed by then-mayor John Hamilton.

But early this week, Moore sent his resignation letter to Hamilton, who just over three weeks from now will be wrapping up two four-year terms. Both Hamilton and Thomson are Democrats. Hamilton did not seek re-election.

Moore sent a separate message about his resignation to firefighters and staff in the fire department.

What happens next? Responding to an emailed question from The B Square, Thomson wrote: “I will be naming an interim chief and conducting a search for our next chief.”

[Updated on Dec. 7, 2023 at 12:15 p.m. In a news release around noon on Thursday (Dec. 7), Thomson has announced her pick as interim fire chief: Roger Kerr. He is described in the news release like this: “Kerr, who has been with the department since 1988, previously served as its chief from 2008 to 2014. A current battalion chief, Kerr has held the rank of fire fighter, engineer, ariel technician and captain over his career. He will assume the position on January 1, 2024.” ]

Continue reading “Bloomington fire chief resigns days after being tapped for service by mayor-elect: Next steps?” →

Bloomington mayor wants Dec. 13 vote by city council on police station sale

The police station is in the upper left corner of the aerial image.
Calendar of upcoming key dates in Showers West projectg.

At its Wednesday meeting in a little over a week from now, Bloomington’s city council will likely be asked by outgoing mayor John Hamilton to vote on the sale of the city’s police station.

That’s a key takeaway from a Monday noon work session of Bloomington’s city council.

Next week’s Dec. 13 council meeting is the city legislative body’s final regular meeting of the year.

But before the council is asked to approve the sale, Bloomington’s board of public works will hold a public hearing this Friday, Dec. 8. Even though the three-member board does not need to approve the sale, it is required under state law to make a recommendation to the city council and the mayor.

So on Friday, the administration is just looking for the board of public works to indicate its attitude about the sale—for, against, or no recommendation either way.

At Monday’s session, deputy mayor Larry Allen revealed that the city had so far received three offers for the purchase of the police station. The building is located on 3rd Street north of The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park.

One offer is right at the $3.2-million minimum offer specified in the city’s notice of sale, published on Oct. 11.  The minimum offer is the same as the lower of two fair market value appraisals that were done by the city, Allen revealed.

A second fair market appraisal, Allen said at Monday’s session, put the value of the police station at $4.4 million. The city had also received an offer to purchase the real estate at that price, Allen said.

A third offer exceeded $4.4 million, Allen said.

Even though just five of nine councilmembers attended Monday’s work session, a measure of the topic’s importance was mayor-elect Kerry Thomson’s attendance. Continue reading “Bloomington mayor wants Dec. 13 vote by city council on police station sale” →

Hiccup for convention center interlocal agreement: ‘Let’s take a breath’ says Monroe County council

It might be next year before all parties have signed an interlocal agreement between Bloomington and Monroe County—in connection with an expansion of the Monroe Convention Center.

The effort to get final consensus on a collaboration between city and county leaders about a convention expansion dates back several years, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

But two weeks ago, both branches of Bloomington’s government approved the interlocal agreement, for the operation of the capital improvement board (CIB) and the convention and visitors commission (CVC)—in connection with the convention center expansion.

Bloomington mayor John Hamilton inked the interlocal on the afternoon of Nov. 15. The city council followed suit that evening, with an uncontroversial vote to approve the interlocal agreement.

The county council and the county board of commissioners were expected to consider and approve the agreement this week.

But the item appeared on Tuesday night’s county council meeting agenda only as a discussion item. And that’s where it remained for Tuesday. No vote was taken, even though councilors expressed a fair amount of solid support for the agreement.

Part of the delay on the county council’s side relates to a request from Bloomington mayor-elect Kerry Thomson, who wrote a letter to Hamilton two weeks ago, asking him not to make strategic decisions that could have an impact lasting into 2024. Continue reading “Hiccup for convention center interlocal agreement: ‘Let’s take a breath’ says Monroe County council” →

Mayoral transition: Bloomington boards have upcoming vacancies, to be filled by city executive

In an open letter dated Nov. 9,  mayor-elect Kerry Thomson made a clarion call to Bloomington residents for them to participate in city government.

people sitting around a table with two empty chairs
This art was generated by https://www.bing.com/images/create/

Thomson wrote to residents that her administration would “make it easy for them to participate in their government.”

She added: “That starts now—with you.”

Cited in Thomson’s letter as a path to participation is service on a board or commission, through a mayoral appointment.

She invites residents to apply for an seat on a board or commission. 

Appointments to boards and commissions also get a mention in a Nov. 14 letter that Thomson sent to current Bloomington mayor John Hamilton.

Thomson includes such appointments in the decisions that she asks Hamilton to refrain from making in his remaining time in office (emphasis in original): “Such decisions would include, but not be limited to, signing new or extensions of contracts, purchasing or conveying property, and making future board and commission appointments.”

Most board and commission terms go through Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, which means several naturally-occurring vacancies will need to be filled. For example, two of the five mayoral appointments to the plan commission end on Jan. 1, 2023.

At least some of the mayor-appointed members of boards and commissions are described explicitly in local law as serving “at the pleasure” of the mayor—like members of the board of public works or the board of public safety.

Seats on those two boards do not have specified term lengths. There’s not a natural point in time for a mayor to swap out one of those board members, by choosing not to re-appoint them.

The request about appointments in Thomson’s letter to Hamilton is not confined to just those board members that are explicitly described in the law as serving “at the pleasure” of the mayor. Continue reading “Mayoral transition: Bloomington boards have upcoming vacancies, to be filled by city executive” →