Tag: Mick Renneisen

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” →

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” →

Board picks former Encore Cafe owner to join group to oversee Monroe Convention Center expansion

CIB meeting (Nov. 8, 2023). Adam Thies attended via the Zoom video conferencing platform.
John Whikehart
Joyce Poling
Eric Spoonmore.
From left: Doug Bruce and Mick Renneisen

On Wednesday afternoon, Jim Silberstein was appointed as the final member of Monroe County’s seven-member capital improvement board (CIB).

Silberstein’s LinkedIn profile describes his role in founding the Encore Cafe and Tina’s Cuisine, which operated for 18 years, until the early 2000s, in the 6th Street building that is now home to Bloomingfoods.  Among the credentials cited at Wednesday’s meeting in support of his appointment were Silberstein’s MBA from Northwestern University and his work for Deloitte Consulting in Chicago.

The CIB was established by Monroe County commissioners in July of this year, under the terms specified in state law.

According to the ordinance enacted by the commissioners, the first six appointments to the CIB have to come from four different entities—county commissioners (2), county council, the mayor (2), and the city council. Those six then choose a seventh—which turned out to be Silberstein.

On Wednesday, the vote among the six on the seventh appointment was 4–2. The other two votes went to Valerie Peña. She is associate vice president in Indiana University’s office of government relations. Continue reading “Board picks former Encore Cafe owner to join group to oversee Monroe Convention Center expansion” →

First meeting of new board gets momentum restarted for Monroe Convention Center expansion

Board members are sworn in by Monroe County clerk, Nicole Browne. From left: Doug Bruce, Joyce Poling, Eric Spoonmore, John Whikehart, Adam Thies, and Mick Renneisen.
County attorney Jeff Cockerill, with back to camera, makes a point during the meeting.
Former Kokomo mayor Greg Goodnight.
Joyce Poling and Mick Renneisen visit before the start of the meeting.
From left: Jeff Cockerill and Beth Cate.
The most recent monthly figures for food and beverage tax revenue show the last three months as flat compared to last year.
Panorama of convention center looking to the southwest as seen in August of 2022.

In early July, Monroe County commissioners used a state statute to create a seven-member capital improvement board (CIB) to govern the expansion of the Monroe Convention Center.

About three months later, on Wednesday morning, the first six appointees of the CIB convened an initial meeting in the Finch Room of the convention center.

The six appointments that have been made so far came from four different entities—county commissioners (2), county council, the mayor (2), and the city council. The initial six will choose the seventh.

Based on Wednesday morning’s meeting, the choice of the seventh member is hoped to be made at the board’s next meeting, now set for Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. Those interested in being considered can apply using a web-based form on Monroe County’s website.

The six are a group that includes members with a substantial history of governmental service. Here’s the list with their appointing authority in parens: Mick Renneisen and Adam Thies (mayor); John Whikehart and Joyce Poling (county commissioners); Eric Spoonmore (county council); and Doug Bruce (city council).

Under the chairship of Whikehart, who was chosen as president, the group worked its way on Wednesday through a meeting agenda that included: a briefing from county attorney Jeff Cockerill on the CIB’s responsibilities, how the initial budget will be created, where things stand with the food and beverage tax revenues, and a review of the properties that could be available for the expansion project.

Some light friction emerged right at the start when the vote was taken on a motion by Spoonmore to make Whikehart president and Bruce vice president. They were confirmed on a 4–2 split vote, with dissent from Renneisen and Thies. Continue reading “First meeting of new board gets momentum restarted for Monroe Convention Center expansion” →

Six now to pick a seventh: Appointments to CIB for Monroe Convention Center expansion nearly done

In a news release issued at the end of the day on Friday,  Mick Renneisen and Adam Thies were announced as Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s two appointments to the seven-member capital improvement board (CIB).

The image links to the text of the ordinance approved by county commissioners establishing the CIB.

The CIB will govern the expansion of the Monroe Convention Center.

The CIB was created on July 5 under state law by the Monroe County commissioners .

Hamilton’s appointments round out the six members of the CIB who are to be appointed by four governmental entities—mayor (2); city council (1); county commissioners (2); and county council (1).

It’s up to those six to make the seventh appointment.

Still to be worked out are details of an interlocal agreement between the city and the county.

Continue reading “Six now to pick a seventh: Appointments to CIB for Monroe Convention Center expansion nearly done” →

Bloomington mayor calls Hopewell groundbreaking a “once-in-a-century opportunity to create a new neighborhood in the heart of our beloved city”

Hopewell West Primary Plat
Hopewell West Primary Plat

On Friday afternoon, a day with partly cloudy skies and a temperature around 80 degrees, about 60 local leaders gathered at the now empty grassy lot on the south side of 2nd Street, between Rogers Street and The B-Line Trail.

They were assembled to mark the groundbreaking for the Hopewell neighborhood, which will be constructed at the site of the former IU Health hospital, where the health care provider operated its facility until December 2021.

Delivering remarks on Friday were Bloomington mayor John Hamilton, followed by Cindy Kinnarney, who is president of Bloomington’s redevelopment commission, and by Mick Renneisen, who is president of the board for the nonprofit called City of Bloomington Capital Improvements, Inc.

Hamilton led off his remarks by saying, “We are here to break ground on this once-in-a-century opportunity to create a new neighborhood in the heart of our beloved city.” Continue reading “Bloomington mayor calls Hopewell groundbreaking a “once-in-a-century opportunity to create a new neighborhood in the heart of our beloved city”” →